So my mother in law got my 7 year old a tablet for christmas this year. Nice, only it was the horrifyingly worthless Sylvania that Toys R Us and CVS were giving away on black friday. So my boy thinks he's got a tablet just like dad's Galaxy Tab 10.1, but not so much. It's the thought that counts, right?
I thought maybe it had been rooted and could run CM7 or something, but no such luck. Locked down and it doesn't have the enthusiastic dev community around that I am used to with other devices... to say the least. Compile that with the substandard hardware and it's a paperweight. This is the type of device that gives android tablets a bad name.
He's disappointed, it's a brand new tablet, and to him should work like the others he's used, but of course doesn't. I'd planned on handing down my Incredible when I upgrade and setting it up as a wifi only device for him, but am considering just purchasing an inexpensive tablet that is decent quality and fully enabled (or can/will be).
I'm perfectly comfortable with rooting and flashing roms. I would like something with either current or expected support from CM. I'd like something that could run things at least as smoothly as the incredible can.
Right now I'm looking at a few different options:
Nook Tablet - Pros: nice hardware, should run CM9, expandable storage Cons: No camera
Kindle Fire - Pros: works out of the box with the Amazon app store, should run CM9, $199. Cons: only 8GB storage, not expandable, hardware not quite as good as the Nook Tablet, No camera
Acer Iconia A100 - Pros: Out of the box it is complete. Tegra 2. Expandable storage. dual cameras. except for the shorter battery life it compares to my Galaxy Tab. Cons: over my price range of $300.
Opinions? Am I wrong for dismissing Velocity Micro, Archos and the like without giving them a shot? Any good deals I'm overlooking?
CM9 on the Nook Tab? Doesn't it have a locked bootloader. I'd stay away from it.
Kindle Fire is nice but I think it lacks Bluetooth and cameras (which are becoming important for tabs)
Try to get a TouchPad
Yes, get an TouchPad - you can find it at very low price - and install CM.
c0x91 said:
Yes, get an TouchPad - you can find it at very low price - and install CM.
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This. You can get a TouchPad for $200 and it's worth more than that. You can't find a better deal.
bleach168 said:
This. You can get a TouchPad for $200 and it's worth more than that. You can't find a better deal.
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I triple that.
Currently running Xron b2.9 on mine.
Agreed if you can get your hands on a touchpad. Or maybe pick up a 16 gig playbook (199) it's only a matter of time till a developer on here gets android up on it and the hardware is pretty solid
TouchPad +1
Awesome hardware (for the going rate of $225), 10" screen, and big following here. webOS is nice, elegant, simple, and stable. But, there are very few apps. I'm not a fan of Gingerbread on a 10" screen, but ICS is coming along, and GB should fill the android and app craving until its here.
I almost got a Vizio tablet ... but as you said a cheap tablet with poor popularity here is a bad combo. I don't regret for a second spending a little more a getting the TouchPad over the Vizio tab, or Fire.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
OK, some questions about the Touchpad...
The 4:3 screen, most android apps are developed with 16:9 screens in mind. I can see this not being an issue with an app which uses a dynamic layout, but with games which have static assets how does this work out?
This tab will be used primarily for games and children's books, how is compatibility running CM7, any issues?
Once CM7 is installed is it seamless? WebOS holds no interest for me because of the lack of apps.
If I go the ebay route, I can likely get an A100 for the same price as a touchpad, does the TP still hold up?
Ok, newbie here.... Who makes the touchpad? How are the tablets from China? Are they just a waste of money?
I think the Touchpad recommendations are spot on, but I'll tell you that the Acer A100 is a good device. I got one for my daughter (same age as your kid) and have been happy with it. No rooting, running both Android Market and Amazon Appstore. Found it for around US $250 on Amazon.
Good luck on your purchase.
I will buy a kindle fire and install cm9..
Ok, figured out the touchpad is HP Still curious about the tablets from China if anyone has insight.
4yo
I've had a similar tale. Currently my 4yo has confiscated my HD2 running a CM7 ROM be hes practically taken over his mothers transformer. Needless to say she's not happy about that and he doesn't get his hands on my flyer without supervision so I've been thinking about getting him his own tablet.
I have an old 7 inch tab that i've had since the dawn of time it seems and and it worked well with the help od slatedroid before XDA opened up to tablets. Once we upgraded it was his defacto tab, until he broke the power switch.
My boys has had a lot of exposure so hes good with technology but hes young and not always as aware of the value of things as I'd like. I'd love to get him something to save wear and tear on his mothers tablet but id like something that he can load his existing android apps on and just enjoy.
I'll be watching this thread closely for any suggestions that aren't a touchpad.
I would also recommend the Touchpad. I also have a kindle fire and the form factor does not lend itself to the comfortable web browsing experience that you get with a Touchpad + CM7 and Maxthon/Dolphin/Boat.
It is good for reading books, and checking the web/email in a bind - but screen real estate is limited and the lack of hard keys is at times annoying.
Kindle Fire, enough said
I am running cm7 on my wife's nook color. Works well for when my boy wants to play games, but for reading, the original nook software is better, so I just have a dual boot setup... it just runs cm7 off the sd card. I like the setup.
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using XDA App
Kindle Fire is a really nice tablet in hand, I know your complaints were technical ones, but out of those cheap tablets I still vote for the Kindle Fire.
I vote for an HP Touchpad w/ dual boot to webOS or Android or an original Samsung Galaxy Tab 7"er
withoutname90 said:
I will buy a kindle fire and install cm9..
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I think c9 will be a good option down the road on a kindle. It is not ready for prime time yet.
Great to play. Not a daily driver.
http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/9/2695314/asus-eee-pad-memo-me370T-tegra-3-price
The new standard of low price tables. Ics out of box, camera, tegra 3, and other good stuff. best of all its $249
Related
looking for a cheap 7" tab for my son. zt 180? any thoughts. Just looking for something to put kindle on and allow him to play some games and music.
thanks
zt 180?
I would reccommend the NookColor($250), I'm thinking about getting one after I sell My GTab. Want to see about the Flyer as well.
Nook Color also has a good developer community backing. Pretty easy root from what I've heard.
The Vpad7 is pretty good. It received some crap reviews but only because its an older arm processor and not Tehran based. It is one of the most functional devices I have used out of the box and has very little bloatware installed on it. Over all its a sound device and very functional. I gave mine to my dad for use as a book reader and it is perfect for what he needed.
I've been meaning to ask the same question myself.
The Viewpad 7 seems ok, but it costs more than a Gtab doesn't it?
The Nook is a little tempting, but I think I'm a little spoiled by the Gtab ...
Would be interested to see what others suggest/recommend.
Jim
I can appreciate what you're saying. The NC, to me, just "feels better constructed" than some others I have handled. Solid. Add in that there is an excellent developer base and active community and it would be an excellent choice for now and into the future. ("Future" being a relative term for tech!) Much would depend on what the intended use would be of course. The dual boot Viewpad is great IF you absolutely need windows. (Note I said "need" and not "want"). I suspect the NC would serve your son well and provide him a nice "starter platform" as he grows and wants to move up.
HTH
+1 on any Nook Color recommendations. Well constructed, SDmicro slot, and we already know its capable of honeycomb. ***Deleted 3G incorrect info ***
i was asking about cheapo china ones. I realize they aren't up to gtab specs but just wanted something basic for him.
gpzjack said:
i was asking about cheapo china ones. I realize they aren't up to gtab specs but just wanted something basic for him.
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No offense to China but don't do it! haha. At least get him something where you can return it easily if it's defective.
Get the Coby Kyros 7015 for your son. You can find it at retail stores like Frys.
Velocity Cruz any good? I can get one for $100
I do believe that with the Cruz you're starting hobbled in a way. The Reader and the Tab run 2.0 and not Froyo so flash would be just one thing missing. I know only one person who got one and returned it same week. And if you "choose" (read: fall for) ordering direct from China be ready to wait.....and wait.......and wait....for delivery. I ordered a replacement AC adapter over a month ago...guess? Waited over a month then cancelled. Seems it's ALWAYS Chinese New Year there slowing the mail.
Edit - Spring for the NC. You (and son) won't be disappointed I'm betting.
I was also in your shoes - wanted a 7" device for my father while he was doing his dialysis treatments. Basically I was looking for something a little better than just a reader. I was in Kmart and saw the Coby 7015 and got it for about $150 on black friday. I thought it was a cool little box it ran about everything, had HDMI out and good battery life. The downside - resistive touch screen. Resistive touch will have you begging for a capacitive touch screen. Resistive touch is okay for a mfg environment or a GPS device - but for a daily tablet NO. You keep wondering if you pressed hard enough. Also Angry birds runs but screen fonts are broken - meaning they do not display correctly. I rooted the thing with Z4root and loaded just about everything and used Zeam as desktop. Because of the liberal return policy during the holidays I un-rooted it and brought it back to stock state and then returned at Kmart with no restocking fee.
Velocity Cruz - This is a joke. The app store is not even an appstore but a website. It has 2.0 and no chance for 2.1 based on lack of Arm processor. I cruised forums for a hack or roms - none. Good thing about it - it has a capacitive touch screen. Returned to Best Buy and no restocking fee.
Barnes and Noble Color Nook. Bought rooted and kept for my dad. Great little cool design and battery life is great. Used nookie boot image to root it and loaded Zeam for the desktop and a bunch of apps for my dad besides ereader apps. Other positives for the NC is has support here at XDA and the NC wikis out there.
Bottom line NC is the best deal for $250. Sure I got a chance to play with others and learned what I liked and what I did not like - but the form factor, weight, and size are good for a android device that was just suppose to be a reader with some other light functions. You will not be disappointed with this device.
PS - also tried like hell to get Archos 70 but you could never get stock. They sold out or never had inventory. The Archos 7" tablets in store were with the "home tablets" versions with Android 1.5. The Archos 70 would have been easier to hack but the NC was available with inventory at launch. I personally own 2 gtablets in my family and with the support of XDA - they have become great devices. Also have an IPAD(jail broken) - love and hate it - especially hate having to use iTunes to get content on the thing.
I would check craigslist for the NC as well you may find someone who bought one thinking it was going to be better than the kindle and wants to get rid of it.
Another positive for the NOOK is accessories, that was one thing with the GTab, hard to find accessories. I mean the nook color is for sale at walmart and is from a big mftr so accessories should be easy to find. You might read up on what apps it comes with too, it seems like I remember some stock apps geared towards kids.
lol...can i run kindle on NC? I really want kindle because my wife has an account and i want my son to be able to use her account to buy books.
gpzjack said:
lol...can i run kindle on NC? I really want kindle because my wife has an account and i want my son to be able to use her account to buy books.
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Yes - Market is there and therefore the kindle app is there as well.
Check HH Gregg, I saw a 7" tab there as closeout for $99.00 can't remember what the model was.
For the Money, I'd have to agree that the Nook Color is the best deal in 7" right now...
The IPS screen is lovely and it is fairly simple to hack and get the Market on it...It's even been overclocked...
Nook Color is hands down the best 7" tab option simply because of the ips screen. Name another sub 400$ device with an ips screen?
I want a Nook Color so bad, does anyone know if it runs Honeycomb well? the only reason i want Honeycomb is because Nookiefroyo doesnt have softkeys.... Or does it?
MikeTheSith200 said:
Nook Color is hands down the best 7" tab option simply because of the ips screen. Name another sub 400$ device with an ips screen?
I want a Nook Color so bad, does anyone know if it runs Honeycomb well? the only reason i want Honeycomb is because Nookiefroyo doesnt have softkeys.... Or does it?
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As the Nook Color has only one button on the face (beside the Vol Up/Down on the edge), I believe it is all soft buttons and not re-mapping...
fyi. If you have decided to buy the nook color, it is on sale in Ebay only $199.
http://cgi.ebay.com/$50-Coupon-on-B...Reader/290535929095?_trksid=p1468660.m2000036
Hi all,
First let me say I want to stay away from the iPad. After getting royally burned with the 4.0 iOS upgrade on my iPhone 3G and now having to live with the degraded performance on it and lack of future support past 4.2, I doubt I'll ever buy another apple product. I was never one to drink their cool-aid anyway.
But now to the question at hand. What Tablet should I buy?
The main reason for the purchase is so I can watch videos without having to drag out my laptop. I don't want to have to convert the video to be able to play it. I just want to watch 350Mb/1.1Gb TV shows on it without having to worry about planning ahead of time.
Ideally, I would like GPS capabilities on it. 3G is not really required, I can tether it to my phone (i have a plan for that) or will be using it in areas where wifi is available.
I've been looking at a few tablets, namely the Motorolla Xoom and the Viewsonic Viewpad 10. The Xoom seemed like a nice enough device, especially with honeycomb, but it seems to have issues with HD video. The reason I picked the viewpad 10 was for Windows 7, but android 1.6 and the little disk space available left on it after windows installation makes me wonder how effective it will be as a tablet. Having windows 7 on a tablet would be amazing. I would love the flexibility it would afford on the tablet.
So does anybody have any suggestions?
Thanks for the help!
Do you want to have 7" or 10" ?
For watching Video it will be better with 10".
How about Galaxy Tab 10" ? It's honeycomb and very light.
I am running the Acer A500 right now and am very impressed. It got some poor reviews compared to the Asus Transformer in terms of the battery life and screen quality... I have been off the charger for almost 15 hours, watched an entire episode of Stargate: Universe (streaming btw), a few hours of web browsing casually, a few rounds of Let's Play Golf, and of course the good old forums and I am still at 40%. Pretty damn good I think. Tablet and Win7 really is a cumbersome ui and the battery life terrible there (I own one). Honeycomb has quite a few MINOR bugs to work out, but I am only considering the Asus if the screen is really a lot better. Just my opinion but ihth
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk
*edit* *edit* *edit*
depends what you want to do with it, first 7 or 10 inch
If you say seven and don't mind messing around with a tablet and enjoy rooting and modding the nookcolor is nice and a lot of fun. that being said if you want working honeycomb out of the box look elsewhere. Also the nook tablet won't be as smooth as it's not a dual core or anything like that, but i still love mine.
If your TV rips are 24p (and most of them probaly are) then they will not play smoothly on the G-Slate at the moment.
Tegra-2 does not do advanced profile, so if your rips are from the net they will most likely not play well and require re-encoding. Tegra2 does not do 8x8 transforms, cabac or p-frames all of which are generally used in "scene rips."
jimmod said:
Do you want to have 7" or 10" ?
For watching Video it will be better with 10".
How about Galaxy Tab 10" ? It's honeycomb and very light.
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Post 1 of 10 for posting on dev thread
I'd have to agree with Skyfox99 on the newer Acer recommendation, or if you're ok with waiting a bit, the HTC Flyer looks pretty good too.
Sadly, the i-Devices have the fastest graphics processing at the moment, but soon there's going to be new chips released to top it again.
I did forget to mention it, but I was looking at 10" Tablets.
I was digging around a little after I posted this and did see the Acer A500 and the transformer. Both seemed to be great machines. I was actually aiming for the 16GB transformer. 16GB would be plenty and would only cost about 400$ plus tax and S&H, and I can always add a MicroSD.
I'm in Canada though, and it seems both the A500 and Transformer are either unavailable as of yet or back-order. But I'm willing to wait for those since the price seems to be right and so far I'm reading positive reviews.
I've read about the Tegra not being the best at doing video, another reason why I was looking at the viewpad 10 that has an atom cpu.
I dont mind putting down 300-400$ on a tablet, as long as it does what I want from it.
Thanks for all the answers so far!
wait for sony s1 and s2!
buy iPad 2
A friend of mine got the XOOM and he was happy with it for a couple of days. When it comes to productivity the Xoom doesn't really stand out. It's really just a enhanced version of a phone without the calls if you get the wifi only version. He returned it a week later for a refund and is getting a Ipad 2.
I think Samsung Galaxt Tab2 is a good choice.
I'd recommend WeTab with MeeGo
If I had the money: ipad 2 because of Netflix support.
But for affordability: Asus
Sent from my HTC Inspire 4G
XDA Developers Premium App
Palms new tablet looks pretty cool, but is only if you are rockin a pre 3 with it because of the touch to share innovation.
I agree with groe. The new Palm or should I say HP tablet looks pretty beastly, with the Pre3 along side it that is. Otherwise I'd say go iPad 2.
Persoanlly i wouldn't get any right now since they're all coming out with tegra 2. And as stated before, tegra doesn't do very well with high profile videos/real HD videos. But if I had to, I'd get the Asus transformer since I fancy the lappy dock. But we all know how "limited" in supply it is. =.=
Galaxy Tab
I would get the Asus with the tegra 3 cpu... yum!
Hey everyone I haven't got a clue about tablets which is why I'm asking you guys which tablet I should get. I need it mostly for school (ebooks, music, play videos online, etc). Speed isn't my biggest concern but I don't want to go back to Windows Me speeds either . Money is probably my biggest concern and I really don't want to spend a fortune on it mainly because my college funds are draining my money and my soul. Any advice would be appreciated .
If this is the wrong forum for this i apologize.
matt75371 said:
Hey everyone I haven't got a clue about tablets which is why I'm asking you guys which tablet I should get. I need it mostly for school (ebooks, music, play videos online, etc). Speed isn't my biggest concern but I don't want to go back to Windows Me speeds either . Money is probably my biggest concern and I really don't want to spend a fortune on it mainly because my college funds are draining my money and my soul. Any advice would be appreciated .
If this is the wrong forum for this i apologize.
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so you want a honeycomb tablet or ANY tablet in general? is 450e too much? you want a good battery life? screen size 7 or 10 inch? you want future android updates? you want good xda community? tell more and i will answer
wow lol
well honeycomb would be very nice but im assuming price skyrockets w/ it so a general tablet would be perfectly okay one i would prefer to be upgradeable. I would like a good xda community because i'm sure ill try to load something on it and brick it. Battery life isn't a big concern granted it doesn't die out in like an hour. Screen size... 10in would be nice but i wouldn't mind a 7in. As for price I'd like to keep it under 300-400 but as i look up tablets it doesn't sound reasonable lool
Xoom!
10chars
matt75371 said:
wow lol
well honeycomb would be very nice but im assuming price skyrockets w/ it so a general tablet would be perfectly okay one i would prefer to be upgradeable. I would like a good xda community because i'm sure ill try to load something on it and brick it. Battery life isn't a big concern granted it doesn't die out in like an hour. Screen size... 10in would be nice but i wouldn't mind a 7in. As for price I'd like to keep it under 300-400 but as i look up tablets it doesn't sound reasonable lool
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well here are 3 tablets that i recommend
dell streak 7
pros: cheap (on amazon 300e) , good xda community, you can get working honeycomb via xda, it has tegra 2 so its powerful (fast), 7 inch screen with gorilla glass
cons: bad battery life (average 3 hours when used), no official updates anymore.
samsung galaxy tab
pros: also pretty cheap (350e on amazon), also good xda community, can get honeycomb via xda, you can make calls with it, also 7 inch screen and gorilla glass, good battery life, 3g.
cons: single core A8 processor (not so fast), no official updates anymore.
asus transformer
pros: genuine 3.0 tablet, will get all coming updates very fast, good community, GREAT screen, 10 inch wit gorilla glass screen, VERY FAST, good built quality, awesome battery life (+9 hours), everything in this device is awesome
cons: expensive (450e (altought its cheap for a 3.0 tablet)), some devices have bad speakers.
so what do you say?
EDIT: and yes i own a transformer, thats why i love it
JimmyMcGee said:
Xoom!
10chars
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xoom is not cheap i recommend transformer
Transformer is having tons of problems from what ive heard, the good models are very good, but youre taking a shot buying one. Iconia's are also having problems but not as much. I would recommend those two though. If you dont need SD card or usb or any of that shabang, you can get a galaxy tab 8.9, they are relatively cheap, and have the perfect screen size (8.9" )
awesomoman said:
Transformer is having tons of problems from what ive heard, the good models are very good, but youre taking a shot buying one. Iconia's are also having problems but not as much. I would recommend those two though. If you dont need SD card or usb or any of that shabang, you can get a galaxy tab 8.9, they are relatively cheap, and have the perfect screen size (8.9" )
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really my transformer works great, no speaker issue or any else issues... and i dont recommend samsungs tab (10/8.9) because it has touchwiz skin on top of honeycomb so the updates are going to take ages and as for iconia tab, it has locked bootloader and not so fast updates. asus has very fast updates, good support, much more developement than any of 3.0 tabs and no skin with honeycomb
i gotta say im quite impressed w/ the transformer price but if a lot of them are not working up to par that is quite disappointing. A random question - what's the difference between a tablet pc and a tablet? Is it just the keyboard addition? does the transformer come w/ the keyboard or is that a separate purchase?
matt75371 said:
i gotta say im quite impressed w/ the transformer price but if a lot of them are not working up to par that is quite disappointing. A random question - what's the difference between a tablet pc and a tablet? Is it just the keyboard addition? does the transformer come w/ the keyboard or is that a separate purchase?
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dont know whats the difference between those 2 but the transformer is 450e without the dock and 550 with the dock...
Maybe a Advent Vega?
Gotta throw in my 2 cents. I looked and Transformer and Xoom, but didn't like the price. Started hearing about the Advent Vega (Point of View Mobii), and that was my choice. Solid machine, less expensive, etc.
Honeycomb looks great and fast!
Tablet NVIDIA Tegra 250 1GHz Dual Core
Multi-touch LCD 10.1" 1024x600
RAM 512MB + 512MB NAND
WiFi
Bluetooth
GPS
3G slot (on some devices)
USB 2.0, HDMI
1.3Mpix webcamera
microSDHC slot
Pros
Unbrickable (so they say, I've flashed alot of ROM's on it)
Cons
Only 1 gb memory (512 OS, 512 apps) but SD cards up to 32 gb
Viewing angles of the screen
Here is a link to a Vega forum post, watch the video.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1040966
Let me know if you have any specific questions.
J
The Xoom is crap and way too expensive! Don't even consider it. If money wasn't a problem and you wanted a tablet, I would go with the iPad 2 or Samsung 10.1. Tablet PCs are obviously more expensive than tablets because you're actually buying a computer and not some toy. The best and relatively cheap Tablet PC is the HP TM2T. Keep in mind there are some tablet PCs upwards of 2k. Outside of the iPad, 10.1 and true tablets I wouldn't recommend anything. I think you would just be wasting money.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App
ACis0014 said:
The Xoom is crap and way too expensive! Don't even consider it. If money wasn't a problem and you wanted a tablet, I would go with the iPad 2 or Samsung 10.1. Tablet PCs are obviously more expensive than tablets because you're actually buying a computer and not some toy. The best and relatively cheap Tablet PC is the HP TM2T. Keep in mind there are some tablet PCs upwards of 2k. Outside of the iPad, 10.1 and true tablets I wouldn't recommend anything. I think you would just be wasting money.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App
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I would also recommend that you go to your local Best Buy and play with the tabs first hand. I did not too long in order to see HC for myself and really did like it, it is gorgeous. The Moto Xoom felt great in hands, but its screen sucked. It seemed faster than the Iconia A500 which also has the Tegra 2. That was odd. The Iconia had the nicer looking screen. I have had the original iPad and VS Gtab, but believe 7 inches is the way to go. Both 9.7 and 10.1 are IMO too big, but most people seem to disagree. Good luck!
ACis0014 said:
I would also recommend that you go to your local Best Buy and play with the tabs first hand. I did not too long in order to see HC for myself and really did like it, it is gorgeous. The Moto Xoom felt great in hands, but its screen sucked. It seemed faster than the Iconia A500 which also has the Tegra 2. That was odd. The Iconia had the nicer looking screen. I have had the original iPad and VS Gtab, but believe 7 inches is the way to go. Both 9.7 and 10.1 are IMO too big, but most people seem to disagree. Good luck!
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Third post in a row LOL...I just saw something and this might be of interest:
http://www.androidcentral.com/hands...mpaign=Feed:+androidcentral+(Android+Central)
1) I second the Advent Vega recommendation. I am typing on mine now and LOVE it.
2) I just broke the chain.
Which ROM are you using? I love the keyboard with VegaComb 1.6.
htc
Has anybody used new HTC tablet ? any feedback ?
first of all let me just say thank you to all of you - i appreciate ALL the feedback and device suggestions - i went and tried out a lot of the tablets. I have to say the xoom was most disappointing (quite heavy didnt feel right). The Advent Vega is really nice but i had a chance to get the asus eee transformer w/ keyboard at $350 so I jumped it and grabbed it. Thank you all for all your input it was all read and much appreciated
matt75371 said:
first of all let me just say thank you to all of you - i appreciate ALL the feedback and device suggestions - i went and tried out a lot of the tablets. I have to say the xoom was most disappointing (quite heavy didnt feel right). The Advent Vega is really nice but i had a chance to get the asus eee transformer w/ keyboard at $350 so I jumped it and grabbed it. Thank you all for all your input it was all read and much appreciated
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You welcome and that's an AWESOME deal!
Good choice!!!! The Transformer is the obvious choice with the keyboard dock, especially if you plan to use it for school too. As you might have guessed, I have one too for much the same reason.....except school was out for me about 16years ago, however, I wanted something I can enjoy as a tablet but also use for work e.t.c
Once again, good choice!
hello, I've been recently looking at tablets. I want something pretty decently nice, with honeycomb (which you can put on this), and just generally nice specs. But my real question is, is this thing a piece of complete crap? it's off brand for things i buy usually, but I've seen generally good reviews. I've also been looking at the Transformer and the Xoom. Thank you all for the help.
considering that you can get one on Ebay for under $250, I would say yes, it's most definitely worth it.
Even with Froyo roms, it's a very useful tablet that will probably do the things that you want it to do. Yes, the screen angles are not ideal, but they are acceptable (in my opinion)
Put it this way, is buying a transformer, or Xoom for almost twice as much going to be just as useless when the newest tablets come out for Christmas?
I believe that it's a question of perception. What do you want to use it for?
and who knows, when Ice Cream Sandwich gets released, it may be easier to port to the G-Tablet than Honeycomb.
Well the transformer is only $150 more.. ill look up a comparison between the two. That was the other one I am still honestly considering
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
gobluewolverines4 said:
Well the transformer is only $150 more.. ill look up a comparison between the two. That was the other one I am still honestly considering
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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I guess my point was, is the transformer going to be just as obsolete when the new tablets arrive? Nvidea is releasing a new tegra platform, that will basically make anything running on a tegra2 old hat. This would include the Xoom, Transformer, Iconia, as well as the G-Tablet, Adam, Vega, etc. These things depreciate faster than a car driven off the dealer's lot. Originally what, $450 when they were released? I bought mine for $300 (with a few extras) on Ebay. now they are retailing for $250 in Woot deals and Tiger Direct, while used ones on Ebay are plummeting down to nearly $200. When the new Tegra devices are released, I suspect that a G-tablet can be bought for $100 used.
What I mean, is why not save the $150 now, to put toward a better tablet down the line...The g-tablet will at least give you a less expensive introduction to the android tablet world, while still being a quite useful tool.
I would just hate to see somebody spend more money on a similar tablet that will cause them buyers remorse in 3 months or so. Of course, if you have the cash to burn, then go ahead and buy what you really want...for most people, that's an iPad...jk
TJEvans said:
I guess my point was, is the transformer going to be just as obsolete when the new tablets arrive? Nvidea is releasing a new tegra platform, that will basically make anything running on a tegra2 old hat. This would include the Xoom, Transformer, Iconia, as well as the G-Tablet, Adam, Vega, etc. These things depreciate faster than a car driven off the dealer's lot. Originally what, $450 when they were released? I bought mine for $300 (with a few extras) on Ebay. now they are retailing for $250 in Woot deals and Tiger Direct, while used ones on Ebay are plummeting down to nearly $200. When the new Tegra devices are released, I suspect that a G-tablet can be bought for $100 used.
What I mean, is why not save the $150 now, to put toward a better tablet down the line...The g-tablet will at least give you a less expensive introduction to the android tablet world, while still being a quite useful tool.
I would just hate to see somebody spend more money on a similar tablet that will cause them buyers remorse in 3 months or so. Of course, if you have the cash to burn, then go ahead and buy what you really want...for most people, that's an iPad...jk
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Wow. Very excellent explanation. I see now. Yes I will probably soon be purchasing the g tab!
PS: screw the ipad
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
gobluewolverines4 said:
hello, I've been recently looking at tablets. I want something pretty decently nice, with honeycomb (which you can put on this).
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Honeycomb is not completely functional on the gtab (as of now). It is missing the Honeycomb specific drivers from Nvidia (aka full hardware acceleration, high def video).
If you really care about Honeycomb you should get the transformer IMO.
Although, I am quite happy with froyo based ROMs
Others are right in saying that quad core Tegra 3s are around the corner, Tegra 2 prices might drop by the end of the year. Given how Nvidia and Viewsonic acted regarding the gtab, I foresee support for Tegra 2s dropping drastically as newer hardware gets released.
Yeah the almost fully functioning honeycomb on here is fine for me. Should be ordering my g tab this week!
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Hello, I wrote a quick review for some guys that I work with. I am sure there are many reviews of the gtablet, but...
Here are my conclusions so far;
This thing is about the same size as the Xoom, and thicker than the IPAD. It is definitely not as sexy.
The screen is OK. It is not a high quality screen like you find on the other devices.
The processor is great, and the memory is sufficient. Things move pretty quick.
The ROM out of the box REALLY sucked. I was hoping to just deal with it, but Google had not approved the tablet so there were NO Google apps at all. Not acceptable. It took me a couple of hours to learn (last night till around 1:00am), but I replaced the stock ROM with a hacked ROM with everything I wanted.
This thing is really just a big Android phone with no phone or GPS.
I loaded up my Sony Reader software, downloaded all of my books, and then imported them into a DRM capable reader that is better.
Although there are some ROMs that support Gingerbread screens, I think I will stick with this 2.2 (or is it 2.3) Android feel.
What will I use it for?
Reading ebooks, PDFs (Scientific American, Maximum PC)
Google apps – maps, search
Kayak, hotels.com apps
Games (mostly for the kids) – I got Android Market to work
Web Browsing / some forum reading (via Tapatalk)
Personal email reading and contacts (no work email will be set up)
Maybe occasional Skype and Gotomeeting (camera sucks, so mostly audio)
News and weather
Of course, with the exception of reading the ebooks, I would always use the Macbook Pro if it were available.
So the speed and memory makes this all possible, but the experience (screen, size, build) is not equivalent to the expensive tablets.
Biggest complaints?
No GPS
Screen is not easy to see at an angle
I needed to root the thing to make it useful, which means I now need to stay on top of that and update it manually
The 10.1 device is a bit bigger / bulkier than I expected – the weight is the same as the ipad I believe.
I “can” watch videos on it (even 1080p), but moving the files would be a drag… it uses a microSD card that I would need to pop ion an adapter, or I could use the USB connection. Maybe I can find a way to do it with wifi or Bluetooth.
No USB charging… WTF??? It comes with a separate adapter that has to plug into the wall…
The screen is a 1024x600 which is similar to most pads, but it is really inferior to the Macbook Pro, and there is just something that is “fuzzy” about it.
Biggest positives?
Cheap - $269 delivered (no tax or shipping)
Fast
Should do what I want…
Next Steps…
See how much I actually use it for anything other than ebooks. If I do end up needing it more than I think, I would consider the Asus Transformer or something else new in the next year or so.
Hope this helps,
R
gobluewolverines4 said:
hello, I've been recently looking at tablets. I want something pretty decently nice, with honeycomb (which you can put on this), and just generally nice specs. But my real question is, is this thing a piece of complete crap?
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The screen is complete crap.
You should look hard for something with a better screen around $300-$350. If you can find it, get it.
And I *like* my Gtab - but its really just for kicking around and messing with roms and android. The screen really is killer bad unless you use it only at night, head on
Honeycomb works, and works well, as well as you could hope for unsupported xda rom hacking - ie, no netflix, no Hardware acceleration, occasional stand on your head workarounds, and the possibility of sudden death... well, ok, not that last one.
Bottom line: if you can find it for $100-$200, and want to play with roms, and tweak, and screw with it a lot to get it to be as good as a $400 one except for the horrible screen that cannot be fixed, YES, this is your tablet.
If you want a tablet to take out of the box and use, with rom updates from the manufacturer, and a screen you can read ebooks off of, this is NOT your tablet. Even for free.
So should I just get the transformer? Ah so many decisions!
Well I'm literally about to go to fry electronics and ill test out some there. Thanks !
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
gobluewolverines4 said:
So should I just get the transformer?
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For $400, I'd say yeah.
Better screen, 1Kx800 resolution, 2x the ram. Yeah, looks like that's all worth $120.
Oh... and a GPS too.
Oh, and Honeycomb 3.1 from Asus. Plus lots of XDA love it seems.
gobluewolverines4 said:
So should I just get the transformer? Ah so many decisions!
Well I'm literally about to go to fry electronics and ill test out some there. Thanks !
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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I think the main question is what you want the tablet for or what to do with it.
A cheap $250-300 laptop has so much more computing power and practical use than any tablet...just a bit bulkier.
The tablet market will have much more offerings and better with faster cpus and such..just have to wait a bit.
I bought my gtab from woot 4/2011 for $275. I have installed several ROMs on it. They all are pretty good with their own pluses and minuses.
I'm currently on Flashback 5.4 HC: it looks nice and works well. Gmail, Talk - w/o video; G-Voice, Maps, Lattitude, Earth etc all work. You Tube works; a bunch of games works. The big screen is better than the phone size screen. Nice quick weather apps. Nice calendar.
What it cannot do is replace the screen and functionality of my desktop for real work.
If you can find a cheap Gtab and play with ROM's, flashing, androids quirks etc - jsut for the fun of it, then get a gtab. Fully flashable with great recovery process. Almost 99.99% Non-brickable. Get a used one for play and test.
If you want a decent a functional tablet w/o hassle, get an I-pad2.
I have read many complaints about the viewing angle of the screen, but I have had my tablet for months and I have no complaints. It has replaced my planner for work and is great for watching movies, not sharing with my neighbor.
Looking at all of the Android tablets out there I just wonder what I would really want. I have a Windows desktop, laptop, and Android phone. All of which I use alot. Right now a tablet would just be a toy. Any thoughts?
Sent from my Vibrant
Good thing I searched before posting this exact same question. So what are the thoughts on the tablets that are out or soon to be released? What is or what will be the hottest tablet of the year?
If it's just a toy, go for something on the cheap end.
Amazon Kindle Fire could be a good choice, but it doesn't offer expandable memory and some other features.
I got myself a Barnes and Noble Nook Color for $150...I wasn't gonna let myself spend much on it, because like yourself, it was just a toy for me. I got a 16 GB uSD card and put CM7 on there and it works great.
I tried Galaxy Tab 10.1 on monday and it let me somehow desperated. It's not that quick and smooth as I expected. Could be faulty it was test model at shop and anyone touch it and make changes in settings, installing apps and so one?
If a toy, go cheap... I started with the nook color. I now have the Samsung galaxy tab 10.1, and I love it. Awesome.
As for responsive, well the first batch was a little laggy. Even in benchmarks they would get around 1500. I know since I tested a store model. The most recent are much better and get over 2000 in the same benchmark. Just look for the Samsung logo on the front glass. And older version, just get task650 In Paris rom. And if you want, you can over clock from 1000 to 1400, but I haven't had to.
My wife wants the Zoom and wow has the price came down on that!
I've been looking at cheap tablets (gtablet, Viewbook, Ideapad, Nook Color, and many more. I just wonder if my toy will not become more. My dear wife would not mind if I got a Xoom for both of us. Even checked out some of the higher priced tablets. I played with the gtablet, transformer, and the thrive at Office Depot.
I,d love the thrive but the charger seems a little much. The transformer was cool and I do have a little laptop called the Asus 900HA that has served me faithfully for three years now. I don't like the idea of non-user battery replacement as I tend to keep my gadgets longer now. Thanks all!
Sent from my Vibrant
I think I have narrowed it down to the Zoom or Thrive. I like so much about the Thrive that I can live with the power brick. Even read some about the Zoom Family at Best Buy.
Sent from my Vibrant
I am curious to see how the Fire will work out.. I am sure it will be hacked and rooted and what not soon after it comes out.. Could be a good cheap tablet. I wish the screen was just a little bit bigger though.
My wife wants one...
I posted this in another thread, but it was much longer and worry nobody will see it so I will post it here too:
My wife has a 3 or 4 year old laptop and probably hasn't been turned on in months because "its too much of a hassle" to use it. She used to like playing Flash games all the time on the laptop but since we got iPhone 4's a little over a year ago she has just used her iPhone 4 for almost all of her internet needs.
Recently she has expressed interest in getting a tablet for Christmas because it is less cumbersome than a laptop but also significantly easier to read than the small screen on the iPhone 4.
We first looked at the iPad 2 but she really wants to be able to watch Flash videos and more importantly, play Flash games.
What is the best tablet under $600 that fits the bill for this? Also, what is the cheapest tablet that will suit our needs? Thanks in advance for any advice anyone can give.
Tablets on Honeycomb is rubbish IMHO.
I think Google rushed out Honeycomb just to get a share of the huge tablet market. From a business perspective, don't blame them and good on ya, Google! From a customer perspective, it's absolutely **** to be stuck with Honeycomb!
If you don't want an Ipad 2 right now (or not interested in Apple's products at all), then I would wait for Google next mobile OS - dubbed Ice Cream Sandwich - to hit the scene. We'll see, then, how Google OS will really compete with Apple's...
Thinking about doing the same
redsrule2500 said:
If it's just a toy, go for something on the cheap end.
Amazon Kindle Fire could be a good choice, but it doesn't offer expandable memory and some other features.
I got myself a Barnes and Noble Nook Color for $150...I wasn't gonna let myself spend much on it, because like yourself, it was just a toy for me. I got a 16 GB uSD card and put CM7 on there and it works great.
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I can get a refurbished Nook Color from B&N for $140, then spend $20 on an SD card and I am good to go! Thinking hard about doing this. Does anyone know if they keep those in stock or if the price will go up or they will run out if I wait? I would like to wait until closer to Christmas and maybe get one for each of us!