[DONE] Purchased a Galaxy Tab 8.9! - Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus

Hello guys!
I am coming from the XDA Droid X2 forums. I've never owned a tablet and I am planning on making this, Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 plus, my first tablet.
Given that I own a Motorola Droid X2, I am taking several precautions to ensure that my next purchase isn't a giant pain in the ass. So, firstly, I would like to ask you guys if you recommend this tablet or if there is any other 7 inch tablet that you feel is better than this.
Do you think this is the best 7 inch tablet and that I am making the right decision? Do you think I should wait for the Galaxy Tab 7.7? I don't want to buy it if it is significantly costlier than this one.
Are there any hardware or software quirks with this device? On my Droid X2, there is one, presumably hardware, issue which causes problems with music playback. We frequently get music stutters. Are there any such minor or major problems on this device that may be potential deal breakers?
Secondly, is this device's bootloader unlockable? I know it is rootable. Can we put custom ROMs on it? Does it have ICS, either in official form or in unofficial ROM form, may be CM9? Is Samsung planning to upgrade this to ICS?
Overall, are there any quirks I should be aware of about this tablet, or in general about Android tablets? This being my first Android Tablet purchase, I dunno if there are any caveats in choosing Android Tablets over iPads.
I am very sorry for this huge post. Please bear with me and reply to as many queries as possible.
Thank you very much in advance. Hoping to be a part of this community!

Theres a custom kernel and Clockworkrecovery mod so i think the bootloader is unlocked. Some people experience SOD's, which may be caused by the wifi and samsung did not include the wifi driver in the source code so it's going to be hard to fix.
I've been lurking this forum for a while, because i'm also thinking about buying this tablet but the Sod and wifi problems are keeping me from buying this tablet. I'm still thinking about it though.
I think slow sd cards are also causing sod. I'm not sure though.

bdds13 said:
Theres a custom kernel and Clockworkrecovery mod so i think the bootloader is unlocked. Some people experience SOD's, which may be caused by the wifi and samsung did not include the wifi driver in the source code so it's going to be hard to fix.
I've been lurking this forum for a while, because i'm also thinking about buying this tablet but the Sod and wifi problems are keeping me from buying this tablet. I'm still thinking about it though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you elaborate on the SOD and WiFi problem? What does SOD stand for?
I am also looking at the 8.9 inch Tablet. What do you think about that?

I've had the Galaxy Tab 7.0 plus for a couple months now. It has proven to be everything I'd hope it would be and more. I've never had a SOD. I've never had it get hot. I've never had any WiFi problems with it. It connects instantly at the Community center, the library and at the fitness center; also at home and all down the street. I have B&N app and the Kindle app and read a lot. I get Time mag loaded on it no problem and read it when I go to lunch. So far 4 other people have made the 75 mile trip to Best Buy to get one based on seeing mine in action. I got a dongle that converted the output to HDMI and do flawless streaming to my home TV for all the stations I used to pay for. Canceled my satellite dish and save 50.00 a month. The tablet will pay for itself. I got skype and when I talk to my son and daughter in law in Washington, DC I get to see them. It's a grandfather's dream machine. This is my first tablet.
I love it.

mohawkx said:
I've had the Galaxy Tab 7.0 plus for a couple months now. It has proven to be everything I'd hope it would be and more. I've never had a SOD. I've never had it get hot. I've never had any WiFi problems with it. It connects instantly at the Community center, the library and at the fitness center; also at home and all down the street. I have B&N app and the Kindle app and read a lot. I get Time mag loaded on it no problem and read it when I go to lunch. So far 4 other people have made the 75 mile trip to Best Buy to get one based on seeing mine in action. I got a dongle that converted the output to HDMI and do flawless streaming to my home TV for all the stations I used to pay for. Canceled my satellite dish and save 50.00 a month. The tablet will pay for itself. I got skype and when I talk to my son and daughter in law in Washington, DC I get to see them. It's a grandfather's dream machine. This is my first tablet.
I love it.
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Click to collapse
The one thing I am concerned about this tablet is the lack of good ROMs. But the 1.2 GHz processor (and the fact that it is NOT tegra 2) and the SD card sound like a good deal to me...
I am wondering, if I buy the WiFi version of this tablet at best buy, and I experience issues, will I be able to return it and get a different tablet (as in different model)?

litetaker said:
The one thing I am concerned about this tablet is the lack of good ROMs. But the 1.2 GHz processor (and the fact that it is NOT tegra 2) and the SD card sound like a good deal to me...
I am wondering, if I buy the WiFi version of this tablet at best buy, and I experience issues, will I be able to return it and get a different tablet (as in different model)?
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Click to collapse
Don't know what different models Best Buy might have to try but I do know that Best Buy give a full return within 14 days. I think Amazon gives 30. They have them for the same price and you may save tax. Amazon is no questions asked on returns. I played tablet roulette, getting a fire from Walmart, a Nook Tablet from B&N and a galaxy tab 7p from Best buy. I tried them all and returned the other two for full refunds. The Galtab 7p was head and shoulders above either of the others and it was money well spent, IMO.
---------- Post added at 09:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:13 PM ----------
litetaker said:
The one thing I am concerned about this tablet is the lack of good ROMs. But the 1.2 GHz processor (and the fact that it is NOT tegra 2) and the SD card sound like a good deal to me...
I am wondering, if I buy the WiFi version of this tablet at best buy, and I experience issues, will I be able to return it and get a different tablet (as in different model)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What's the big deal with ROMS? What is it you'd want to do with it that a stock tab can't already do? I do know that ICS for the Tab plus will be released shortly.

Right now my only worry is the SOD and WiFi issues some people claim this tablet has.
Since you've probably been on this forum a lot of time, do you believe that this is a particularly widespread issue or something more sporadic indicating a bad unit rather than a key fault in the Galaxy tab 7.0 plus?

Btw, guys, do you know what the difference is between the Exynos SoC found in Samsung Galaxy 7.0 plus versus the Tegra 2 on Samsung Galaxy tab 8.9?

Here is the unofficial thread on sleep of death (SOD)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1386785
You'll be able to see that theres a few posts complaining about the SOD. The kernel dev Garyd9 has been trying to fix it. There are a few work arounds to prevent SOD. People say auto airplane mode helps to prevent it.
The difference between exynos and tegra is basically that exynos has a gpu ARM Mali-400 (which is supposed to be better) and i believe that it also has dual-channel ram while tegra has a single channel ram.
I believe that exynos is better. I had a viewsonic g tablet and it has nvidia tegra 2 w/ 512mb of ram and it was mostly smooth, but it had some weird type of lag sometimes. Where it really had problems was with adobe flash. Sometimes it would just not want to play cetain videos or it would just close the browser suddenly. The viewsonic g tablet had lots of roms and i tried out about every single one, but it still had problems like that, so i think it had to do with nvidia tegra or maybe it was just that tablet. From what I hear exynos smokes nvidia tegra.

Thank you all for your help. I have decided to purchase the galaxy tab 8.9 since I felt that this is just way too small, when I saw it at Best buy.
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this tablet. Cya later!

cool. The 8.9 was my second choice when i first got my 7 plus only because of screen resolution. But didn't want another tegra 2 tablet.
IMO tegra is overrated

Related

[Q] should I keep my gtablet

I bought my gtablet 2 weeks ago. I have 30 days to return the baby. Following are my questions.
1. I know lot of pundits are calling 2011 as the year of tablets. Did I jump the gun and bought it too early? gtab's spec was the reason for the buy.
2. Do you think in the future they will release firmware update to honeycomb since google doesn't recommend froyo for tablets?
3. lot of the current apps dont work.
4. you tube streaming is horrible.
5. last but not least the screen.
I appreciate the efforts of several guys on this forum for supporting the device. however I am still on the side line as far as introducing other roms on the device. so it limits my gtab to some extent.
Difficult question to answer since it ultimately depends on your expectations and personality. Viewsonic has (recently) been pretty good about releasing updates and working with the dev community here at XDA; that indicates that there is a possibility (not certainty) that they will continue to do so into the new year. The G-tablet's hardware will support Honeycomb, so it is reasonable to expect them to release an update IF Honeycomb is released within Q1 or Q2 of 2011.
If you are holding back on loading a rom, the question we need to know "why" before we can give you more meaningful advice. If you're holding off because you're considering returning the unit, that's one thing (and understandable). If, however, you are uncomfortable loading roms, that's another. All I can tell you is that the G-Tablet is a fantastic device with both VEGAn and TnTLite--much better and faster than stock TnT. I anticipate the XDA devs will probably actively develop/improve their roms for at least Q1 & Q2; probably longer if Honeycomb is released within that timeframe. We must acknowledge, however, that Viewsonic's recent updates are making strides into improving the user experience, so that remains an alternative. Bottom line: if you're willing to educate yourself on loading roms and doing the market fix, the G-Tablet is the best bargain out there currently.
As to some apps not working, some apps don't work on my HTC Evo either. The G-Tablet seems to run most apps very well. This is surprising since Froyo & Gingerbread apps aren't really designed for tablets. I see no reason to be alarmed regarding the G-Tablet's ability to run apps or play YouTube currently (which I have no problem with on TnTLite or VEGAn).
There will be better tablets released this year. For one thing, the G-Tablet's screen is poor quality when viewed at an angle. Also the front facing camera is mediocre at best. Other than those 2 issues, the hardware is very solid and will probably not be surpassed until Q3 of 2011.
no. do not keep it. i had one last week for two days (long enough to experience the latest update). its not great without the willingness to mod it by the end user.
today i bought a galaxy tab, and its exactly what i was hoping for when i bought the gtablet last week. sure, i now have a monthly data subscription, but only for the first 6 months (tmobile) and then i can drop it. and yes, i did spend more on the device... but maybe thats why the viewsonic product was so bad, because its an entry model device based on awful software and flimsy hardware (mine creaked).
the samsung has everything i was looking for... android market, swype, youtube, flash, etc. etc. etc... its just awesome.
dont wait too long to return. youll be sorry.
No one can answer that question for you, it is for you to decide. Not even the above poster's answer is valid - except for him and his experience. I also tried the Galaxy Tab and I hated it. Yes, much nicer screen, but the seven inch size was a no go for me. Everyone's needs and experience is different so don't do anything based on what someone here tells you to do.
If you feel up to mod'ing the G you can end up with a nicely functioning tablet, albeit with a screen that has a lousy viewing angle, but, on the other hand for a lot less money than other alternatives.
I am a total noob to Android and went to the irc chat room for the G and someone there walked me through the rom change. I now have a nice unit, runs smoothly, fairly fast and its doing what I need it to do. It still has a lousy screen viewing angle but I also have an extra few hundred bucks in my pocket that I didn't have to put out for a Galaxy that I didn't like.
Ultimately it has to be your decision. There are a number of people in here who are willing to help out if you want to take advantage of their help.
R
Take it back quickly. Get the Galaxy Tab......wait...didnt I just hear they are locking down the bootloader on it. No Gingerbread or Honeycomb unless Samsung lets you have it. So it has the the potential of being outdated already. But seriously, if your having 2nd thoughts about a purchase....RETURN IT!!!! It's your money. Why would anything we have to say have any bearing on your remorse.
If you're having buyers remorse already then I would say return it. Usually when someone asks a question like that they have issues or gripes with the device. This tablet has the hardware to be great and the software is catching up to it. There is a decent backing behind the product and that's a great thing. As for the screen users have been running tests with other screens to try and find an alternative.
For me I personally love modding my device to make it my own. If you're the type of person that wants a complete out of the box working tablet then I would return it.
I don't think any of the tabs out today has an advantage over the other. If ur gonna return the gtablet, don't get anything else that's out right now. I would just wait a few months. Or at least wait til the prices drop on the alternative tablets.
As other posters has said, u haven't seen the capabilities of this tablet without flashing a rom or modifying the stock ui.
Just to answer some of ur questions
No I don't think u bought it too early because tegra 2 tabs are gonna be expensive next yr albeit they will probably have better screens and camera. You just purchased a tablet with next years hottest cpu at a pretty fair price.
Yes, viewsonic has earned my trust that they will update this device. I also have the utmost confidence in our current devs to bring us faster roms.
All the apps I have works. If ur talking about the g sensor games then I would agree but that's not a lot of apps.
You tube streaming is super fast on my vegan tab. Other flash sites too! Especially justin tv. I have a wireless n router and when I stream from those sites no stutter at all.
And the screen...umm no comment lol.
Overall, I'm happy with my purchase and u should be too unless u got extra money to spend and/orthe patience to wait til next yr.
No....send it to me.
Thanks everyone. I am not new to android. Mt3g and currently vibrant. But never flashed a rom. So nervous. Things I like are hardware and no contract. On top of that I got it for 30% off. So really a bargain. But I offset it by buying extended warranty.
Called viewsonic cs but that number is not working. Tried 4 times, after the automated voice and 10 mins hold the call disconnects and it got me concerned.
nexusonemeover said:
the samsung has everything i was looking for... android market, swype, youtube, flash, etc. etc. etc... its just awesome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny, I can say the same things about my GTablet. Granted, it's maybe 95%-98% of the Market, and I had to tinker with it, but I'm a big boy who likes to tinker.
Unfortunately, the devs here have taken away some of the fun by making it so easy to download and flash the rom.
But hey, glad you are enjoying your Galaxy Tab. And if you were so unhappy with your GTablet, stop trolling the GTablet forums.
-=Sent from my VS GTablet (VEGAn b4) using Tapatalk=-
popezaphod said:
Funny, I can say the same things about my GTablet. Granted, it's maybe 95%-98% of the Market, and I had to tinker with it, but I'm a big boy who likes to tinker.
Unfortunately, the devs here have taken away some of the fun by making it so easy to download and flash the rom.
But hey, glad you are enjoying your Galaxy Tab. And if you were so unhappy with your GTablet, stop trolling the GTablet forums.
-=Sent from my VS GTablet (VEGAn b4) using Tapatalk=-
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Click to collapse
ill rephrase for the sensitive folks... some people need (or want) the device to work out of the box, no changes required. the gtablet just isnt that device.
in an increasingly crowded marketplace where devices are getting better and better at launch, a device like the gtab takes a backseat for out of the box readiness. yes, you can mod till youre blue in the face and get it to do most of what others do from the get go, but having to mod to get it almost there is not optimal for every user.
and to the other deflating comment, i love XDA and i will troll whatever forums and whenever i wish... pardon me for posting an opinion in a public forum.
I was also worried I made a bad decision with my gtab purchase a week ago as well. I came in to an unexpected $400 and decided to treat myself to a gtablet. The day after I got it I flashed the vegan 3 rom. That fixed the "bad software" issue for sure. The my only concern was with the screen. But my worry was 2 fold: 1) viewing angles. 2) "fuzzy" graphics. I'm used to my Droid X having razor sharp fonts and graphics, which the gtab does not. Part of the problem is the screen quality which is related to the viewing angle. I think the bigger part has to do with resolution. The gtab resolution is 1024 x600 pixels @ 10.1" while the Droid X is 854 x 480 @ 4.3". Packing 66% of the pixels into 42% of the screen size helps make things sharper.
So I'm now at the point where I'll keep the gtab. I'm not 100% satisfied, but it's pretty damn good. Maybe there will be luck with finding a better LCD that can be dropped in. If next year a better tegra 2 tablet comes out, then I might just switch and sell my gtab on ebay. I won't get what I paid for it, but I'm hoping to get at least $250 for it. I would have gotten $130 worth of use out of it.
As for flashing a new rom; It is really easy to do with the proper instructions. I had not done any rom flashing since I have a droid x, and was kinda reluctant as well. But now I look back and realize there really wasn't anything to be nervous over. Most of the "caution, you may brick your device" warnings you read are similar to the medical wavers you sign that say "you might die" even though you are just getting some teeth pulled. Yes, it can happen. But most of the time everything works out fine.
I think you would need to be happy with it the way it is today to keep it. There are no guarantees that it will get any further updates from VS. In fact it really seems like a product that they had branded just for the holidays.
I'm still undecided about mine, but I suspect that once I see what comes out of CES, the gtablet will probably go back to Sears.
sam96_77 said:
I bought my gtablet 2 weeks ago. I have 30 days to return the baby. Following are my questions.
1. I know lot of pundits are calling 2011 as the year of tablets. Did I jump the gun and bought it too early? gtab's spec was the reason for the buy.
2. Do you think in the future they will release firmware update to honeycomb since google doesn't recommend froyo for tablets?
3. lot of the current apps dont work.
4. you tube streaming is horrible.
5. last but not least the screen.
I appreciate the efforts of several guys on this forum for supporting the device. however I am still on the side line as far as introducing other roms on the device. so it limits my gtab to some extent.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nexusonemeover said:
ill rephrase for the sensitive folks... some people need (or want) the device to work out of the box, no changes required. the gtablet just isnt that device.
in an increasingly crowded marketplace where devices are getting better and better at launch, a device like the gtab takes a backseat for out of the box readiness. yes, you can mod till youre blue in the face and get it to do most of what others do from the get go, but having to mod to get it almost there is not optimal for every user.
and to the other deflating comment, i love XDA and i will troll whatever forums and whenever i wish... pardon me for posting an opinion in a public forum.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sam, I agree with the people who've said that noone can tell you. As someone who prefers not to mod myself, I am right there with you in feeling out the insecurities of dropping a chunk of change on something that may or may not be faulty in relation to actual hardware or that's shaky in terms of future software releases and support. The thing is, in a case like this, we're all early adopters here....and the problem with cookie cutter devices like the G Tablet (cookie cutter meaning the same base hardware as a plethora of devices coming soon) is that it really doesn't get a whole lot of respect in terms of software from the people that sell it because at the end of the the day, they're in it for the money like all companies are but more so they're not all about loyalty or trying to keep customers. If they can get you to keep your device for 30 days - that's money in their pocket no matter what.
That is the raw, real truth of the matter. I have certainly had my own ups and downs with it but unless there's a DEEP hardware issue - I'm not seeing a reason to return mine. If you REALLY don't want to mess around with ROMs and 3389 (newest OTA) isn't satisfactory for you, then I'd say return it. Something faster and better will always be on the horizon, and if you keep returning or waiting for the next best thing, you end up with nothing. And we'll always have buyers remorse, believe me...there's always a reason to return a buy.
At this point, we have no guarantees that Viewsonic will support it beyond Froyo. They have never claimed, nor said they would and when it comes to devices like this. That's a cold hard fact. They're dabbling in the tablet waters, and if it doesn't 'work out' for them they could just decide to call it quits in terms of releasing updates and supporting it. Even if they do decide to go ahead and jump into the market, when they release new equipment we don't really have anyone at viewsonic saying "don't worry, your tablet will be upgraded for as long as it can be". We just have to hope and have faith.
I would say, if you really don't want to nor see yourself modding your tablet. Even in the lightest, then maybe it isn't the device for you. Get an iPad...where you know Apple has a vested interest and will release updates for it as long as it can be updated. But if you see yourself dabbling, even a little bit (it really is pretty easy and for the most part safe), then I believe 100% that this tablet is going to be a powerhouse next year when honeycomb hits (barring any unforeseen internal hardware faults currently).
To Nexus, you've made a point in that the Galaxy Tab IS indeed a great device and workable right out of the box but there are pretty big differences which make them very different. I also think that yes, it is preferable to the G Tablet for people who want that out of the box usefulness. But is the Galaxy Tab a value, I really don't think so. Quite simply, you're paying a lot more for a lot less.
Kind of like buying a VW Bug with great insides vs. a VW Touareg with some glitchy insides (that are quite possibly fixable in the near future).
For one, the Galaxy Tab is single core - meaning right now what you see is what you get. The G Tablet will have new doors opened when Honeycomb allows the second core to be utilized synchronously (I think? and hope). The Galaxy Tab is a 7inch device which by all means is a big difference than the 10inch G Tablet. I have used 7inch devices and they feel like really big phones. Still quite usable and maybe even preferable by some, but not all. The G Tablet feels like flat computer in comparison and the bigger screen is obviously noticeable. The Galaxy Tab is $200 more than the G Tablet without a contract. It is $350 with a contract, but you must have data on the account for, you say 6 months, right? That's still a minimum of $530. Is the G Tablet perfect, no way. But by all means it's great hardware with great potential for a value price right now. The Galaxy Tab on the other hand, is a great out of the box experience fit for anyone out there, but lacking the power and potential of the G Tablet - better screen? sure...but not necessarily a better buy.
Coming from owning a Vibrant, maybe I'm a little biased, but I wouldn't be too sure Samsung will be paying attention to the Tab for too long into next year, especially when the new hotness the Galaxy Tab 2 is released....and all this talk about locking bootloaders etc. I dunno. I feel better that even if VS takes a dump and refocuses elsewhere, at least the devs here will be taking care of us for a while.
^^^ Very insightful reply. And, you made some good points I had not considered.
Sent from my SGH-T849 using XDA App
sam96_77 said:
Thanks everyone. I am not new to android. Mt3g and currently vibrant. But never flashed a rom. So nervous. Things I like are hardware and no contract. On top of that I got it for 30% off. So really a bargain. But I offset it by buying extended warranty.
Called viewsonic cs but that number is not working. Tried 4 times, after the automated voice and 10 mins hold the call disconnects and it got me concerned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
30% off!!!! U lucky son of a gun haha. Well that makes the gtab a great buy. I'm jealous.
I was disapointed until Loaded Vegan and did the calibaration fix,also practically bricked it and had to load ubuntu linux cuz windows driver would not work but now i am very happy this thing is so fast!
And mind you the software is not optimized for Dual core processor.
Definately not for the none tech inclined.But if you are willing to root and want a solid Android device this is it!
I could get a galaxy tab but why would i pay for internet i can tether off my evo for free.
Sent from my VEGAn-TAB-v1.0.0b4
I will try the simple answer. Keep it.
If you dont want it, ill take it for $250. Wont pay $400 for it from Sears and all the "refurbished" ones on Sears Outlet @ $279 are no where close to me and they dont ship.
nexusonemeover said:
ill rephrase for the sensitive folks... some people need (or want) the device to work out of the box, no changes required. the gtablet just isnt that device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Completely agree with you. The Galaxy Tab is, in fact, the closest thing to an Android tablet that works out of the box.
Anyone buying an Android tablet before June 2011 is basically an early adopter. If you want something that Just Works(tm), your best bet is to go the premium route and get a Galaxy Tab. If you don't have the money and don't want a service contract, you're going to have to do some hacking in some way, shape or form to get things working.
And yeah, I can be a crabby ***** sometimes.

question about buying a tablet

Hi peeps been looking around at the android tablets on the market and wondering if i should take the plunge?.Thought i would ask here as you guys probably have more experiance than most.Can you recomend a couple?, i'm not looking to spend a fortune just want something that covers most bases and doesnt struggle to run the usual suspects.HDMI out would be a plus but any ideas you can offer or just give me ideas on what not to buy.Any helps good, thanx in advance.
I have a smoldering interest in a tablet as well but I will continue to hold off as my Lenovo X61t and Windows Phone compliment each other pretty well and I don't "need" one.
However, I have taken note of the Archos' that were just released. The general feeling is that they feel cheap in build quality but the price and performance is right there. This is engadgets take on the two tablets they have.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/24/archos-70-and-101-internet-tablet-review/
I have used the Samsung Galaxy S and it is a nice device. Gotta be honest though, nothing seems to be "more complete than the ipad", just in terms of docks, jailbreaking, best apps, etc.
There are so many 'knock offs' in this category, let us know what you find!
I agree in the upset front, it's a great piece of kit but I refuse to spend that kind if money. Have found plenty of cheap ones, and I don't mind the price tag but most are just a bit gutless lol. But yeah likewise bring the info if you find something good.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
Back again, on the subject off cheapo knock off tablets have you seen the a-ok pad lol now don't laugh. I could be persuaded to gamble on something as (shall we say rough) if it ticked the right boxes. Anybody heard if them? Any horror stories?
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
Buying a new tablet
I'm in the market for a tablet, and have taken my sweet time for the last 3 months researching and looking for the best one to buy. I've done my fair share of research and now i'm asking you: Should I buy the ASUS Transformer Prime with the dock, od should i wait for samsung/htc/moto/lenovo/acer... next-gen tablet? My fear is you see, that I'll buy The Prime, and that it won't be supported by some software develeopers, and left out in the cold with some apps, or not on par with the next-gen 2012 tablets. I want the best hardware specs, possible future windows 8 compatibility, preferably tegra device, 3g isn't a must, nor GPS but preferred. I don't mind waiting for a few more months since this would be my first tablet, wich i don't really need. NO IOS/IPad talk please, android tablet only (but like i said, with a possibility of win8 in the future). Any reasonable advice is more than welcome, and thank you all very much in advance!
IIRC Asus Prime will begin getting ICS/4.0 Jan 12th.
With that said, I would definitely play around with one before buying. Numerous reported issues that can't really be fixed through OTA's or software. (GPS, WIFI, light bleed, glass/screen loose from rest of tab).
Typical Asus if you ask me, crapshoot on quality.
Also depends on what you want in a tab. If you don't really want to play around/mod/customize then I think the Ipad 2 or hold out a couple of months for an Ipad 3 would be your best bet.
If you have to have an Android you have one of two options. Wait for more quad core tabs to be released, or start looking at what's available now.
Samsung 7.0 Plus is probably the best out for 7"ers.
For the 10"ers it's a toss up right now. Galaxy Tab 10.1 has good support, decent performance, light, easy to hold, good screen, great speakers (for a tab). It's cons to me are the Tegra 2 isn't up to snuff with Honeycomb OS.
The HP Touchpad is a great buy for the OS and specs, and can also be ported to Android (Still need to play with one)
Asus Transformer TF101 is also a good buy but again a crapshoot on quality but can be had for a good price.
The new Moto Xyboards are getting good reviews but they are overpriced for what they are, are only sold through VZW and were "technically" outdated before they were even released. Also locked bootloaders are never fun if flashing kernels are your thing.
Right now I'm looking at getting another tab so I guess you could say I'm in the same boat as you. I have an OG Galaxy Tab 7 on the way b/c I got it cheaper than cheap and just wanna play with it.
Considering picking up an 8" Xyboard also.
ETA: I probably won't pick up a Xyboard however until they come down in price or a WiFi only version is offered.
The SGT 7.7 also sounds promising. Decisions decisions.
First of all, thank you for the fast and torough reply... And yes, sweet sweet decisions
I forgot to say that I'm in the market for a 10" minimum tablet, don't want smthng smaller 'cause i allready have an SGSII so I'm covered for mobility.
As for ASUS's build quality, like I said I never owned a tablet so I definately will try out/play with one for a couple of hours before purchasing, and watch out for the screen bleed on an ips display. But currently most of my pc's componens (2xmobo, 2xgraphic cards, and a lappy) are ASUS made and i must say i'm more than satisfied with them, and as I recall, when I was buying my SGSII there was talk about screen burn-in, overheating and wifi problems too, but I haven't had a single one with my device. Besides that, I don't really need GPS or 3g in a tablet so it's not a dealbreaker with me on The Prime.
The problem is: I wouldn't buy any other tablet now existing in the market, mostly because of the Tegra3 chipset The Prime has, so if I'm paying a hi-end device (around 700$) i want the latest and fastest performer in the ring. And yes, in my book that is android only, as i find apple's devices a bit limiting sometimes (without any fanboyism, I come from a long line of iphones before my android). The things I'm worried hardware-wise are: the amount and speed of Prime's RAM (1gb od ddr2), possible wifi signal problems, screen bleed, and that it's topheavy when docked (a minor thing really). I love that it has a full USB 2.0 port, so you don't need a jack/ adapter of some kind (e.g. like on a SGSII microUSB to full USB). Not really worried about the one speaker layout eather, altough i was a bit dissapointed since the TF101 had a stereo layout, but still, not a dealbreaker (hey, it's still a tablet)...
Now you may laugh at this seeing your sig, but in my mobile history (25+ phones) the worst were accually motorolas (v3 being the worst of the lot, but than again A925 was more than excellent) I'm not so fond of HP either, last month i sold my DV6 3020em, (that's the i7 touchscreen version for Europe since i'm european), and i can say it was utter rubbish, overheating, shoddy build quality, squeaky, noisy fans, you name it... That's why I sold it, but it had a touchscreen which was more than handy, and that's why i want a tablet, I just might look a bit more into the HP touchpad after all.
Acer is great quality for it's price, really great. But I only had Acer's laptops, and the Iconia tablet is as ugly as a bullfrog from chernobyl, so I wouldn't want one.
Tf101 is ugly too by my standards, too big as well, but the looks aren't so important if it was an excellent performer, which none of the now available androids are compared to The Prime (at least not on honeycomb).
I played with samsung 8.9 a few days ago and I can report is't a great little device, thin, capable, satisfying all in all, but i'd like a bigger screen, and a real keyboard and it's not a tegra device (I play a lot of games so i'd like the tegra zone, as chainfire's plugins don't support all tegra tweaked games)
Now I do like to install a new ROM every few weeks on my SGSII but i srsly don't think that will be the case on a tablet (except Win 8, when it comes out).
So i guess the question remains: should i wait for Samsung's next gen 10.1 answer or just go with the prime now
P.S. sorry for my poor english
cavkic said:
First of all, thank you for the fast and torough reply... And yes, sweet sweet decisions
I forgot to say that I'm in the market for a 10" minimum tablet, don't want smthng smaller 'cause i allready have an SGSII so I'm covered for mobility.
As for ASUS's build quality, like i said i never owned a tablet so I definately will try out/play with one for a couple of hours before purchasing, and watch out for the screen bleed on an ips display. But currently most of my pc's componens (2xmobo, 2xgraphic cards, and a lappy) are ASUS made and i must say i'm more than satisfied with them, and as I recall, when I was buying my SGSII there was talk about screen burn-in, overheating and wifi problems too, but I haven't had a single one with my device. Besides that, I don't really need GPS or 3g in a tablet so it's not a dealbreaker with me on The Prime.
The problem is: I wouldn't buy any other tablet now existing in the market, mostly because of the Tegra3 chipset The Prime has, so if I'm paying a hi-end device (around 700$) i want the latest and fastest performer in the ring. And yes, in my book that is android only, as i find apple's devices a bit limiting sometimes (without any fanboyism, I come from a long line of iphones before my android). The only thing I'm worried hardware-wise is the amount and speed of Prime's RAM (1gb od ddr2), possible wifi signal problems, screen bleed, and that it's topheavy when docked (a minor thing really). I love that it has a full USB 2.0 port, so you don't need a jack/ adapter of some kind (e.g. like on a SGSII microUSB to full USB). Not really worried about the one speaker layout eather, altough i was a bit dissapointed since the TF101 had a stereo layout, but still, not a dealbreaker (hey, it's still a tablet)...
So i guess the question remains: should i wait for Samsung's next gen 10.1 answer or just go with the prime now
P.S. sorry for my poor english
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't jump the gun on the Prime until stock has settled in, right now retailers are price gouging due to low availability. The Prime should be $500 for the 32GB, $600 for the 64GB, not $650-700 for the 32GB.
I have a Transformer and an Iconia Tab A100, and I can tell you from first hand experience that the build quality isn't nearly as bad as the above poster is making it out to be. I actually like the finish on both the original Transformer and the Iconia series a lot, and the Prime seems to be a winner also. Another thing to consider for both ASUS and Acer is that they keep their Android releases relatively 'vanilla' except for a few bloatware-type apps of their own, unlike Samsung and HTC, who just can't help themselves but smear TouchWiz and Sense over everything they produce.
The only real reported issue with the Prime appears to be the GPS accuracy, but at least to me, it's a non-issue, since I disable GPS and bluetooth on everything.
The Windows 8 bit is yet to be seen, porting a device to another OS is something you can hope, but never hold your breath for. We've yet to see how Windows 8 distribution is going to work and remember that even if you do install Windows 8 down the road, it doesn't mean that you'll be able to run all windows-based programs, since mobile devices use ARM CPUs, and everything written for windows right now is made for x86 CPUs, so it will be up to each third party to rewrite their programs for compatibility.
Although I would never write out a company with pockets as deep as microsoft, they have proven time and time again that they are unable to compete in the mobile segment, so I don't see Windows 8 with as much hope and awe as many others do. (Especially since Ice Cream Sandwich is the first Android iteration we can really call "excellent")
TL;DR - If you can find a Prime for a decent price, then it's an amazing device to be had for a very reasonable price. If you plan on waiting, then checking out the upcoming Iconia A700 isn't a bad idea either if the dock isn't that important to you.
littleemp said:
Don't jump the gun on the Prime until stock has settled in, right now retailers are price gouging due to low availability. The Prime should be $500 for the 32GB, $600 for the 64GB, not $650-700 for the 32GB.
I have a Transformer and an Iconia Tab A100, and I can tell you from first hand experience that the build quality isn't nearly as bad as the above poster is making it out to be. I actually like the finish on both the original Transformer and the Iconia series a lot, and the Prime seems to be a winner also. Another thing to consider for both ASUS and Acer is that they keep their Android releases relatively 'vanilla' except for a few bloatware-type apps of their own, unlike Samsung and HTC, who just can't help themselves but smear TouchWiz and Sense over everything they produce.
The only real reported issue with the Prime appears to be the GPS accuracy, but at least to me, it's a non-issue, since I disable GPS and bluetooth on everything.
The Windows 8 bit is yet to be seen, porting a device to another OS is something you can hope, but never hold your breath for. We've yet to see how Windows 8 distribution is going to work and remember that even if you do install Windows 8 down the road, it doesn't mean that you'll be able to run all windows-based programs, since mobile devices use ARM CPUs, and everything written for windows right now is made for x86 CPUs, so it will be up to each third party to rewrite their programs for compatibility.
Although I would never write out a company with pockets as deep as microsoft, they have proven time and time again that they are unable to compete in the mobile segment, so I don't see Windows 8 with as much hope and awe as many others do. (Especially since Ice Cream Sandwich is the first Android iteration we can really call "excellent")
TL;DR - If you can find a Prime for a decent price, then it's an amazing device to be had for a very reasonable price. If you plan on waiting, then checking out the upcoming Iconia A700 isn't a bad idea either if the dock isn't that important to you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tnx for the reply, and I have to say I think you misunderstood me. I don't think I said anything bad about acer's or asus's build quality just HP's (and only the perticular model of the DV6 I had), just that they're a bit on the ugly side, but that's totally a subjective stand, and irrelevant to anybody else.
As far as Prime's price goes, it should be available in Croatia, about 2hrs drive from my home in 10days for less than 700$ with the dock for the 32gig version, which is not a bad pricetag considering where I live, and I'm ready to give that kind of money for it. The dock is accually something i like about the Transformer, and it would probbably be a dead heat between TF101 just because of the dock) and the Sammy 10.1 if it weren't for the prime.
GPS, like I said, I don't mind. The SGSII has a great GPS reciever which i hardly ever use, maybe 6 times since i got it in july.
As far as ARM windows goes, I know what to expect from it , nothing special, but it would be nice to have that option when it's available
So you are happy with the TF101 and the Iconia? But would you recommend buying now the Prime if I'm happy with the price? I should mention I probbably won't buy it before ICS, and I'll try to get a hold of a stock ICS one when it's out after Jan. 12. because I want to make sure i missed the first version shipment
I believe you about Motorola. Until my Droid X I have ALWAYS hated Motorola. I never had a phone that worked right after some wear and tear and always had problems. From before smartphones thru the Droid 1, 2, and 3. (Went through multiples of those). I'm also a Samsung and HTC fan.
I've never had a problem with Asus computer components myself, w/ that said, there are quite a few complaints when it comes to the TF201 on quality. With that said, you, as I'm sure you do, have to take into account the dissatisfied ones are always going to moan and groan much more and louder than the happy customer.
I guess I just wish it was like cars when it comes to Tablets and would love for them to let me take the exact tab I'm looking to buy for a test drive. (Not leave the store but just open the box and get a good look at it and test everything to make sure I'm getting what my hard earned money is paying for).
I really want a TF201, but I'm going to wait til a few more Tegra 3 tabs come out. I really think Motorola would have hit a homerun if they would have put a quad core in their Xyboards and kept the price what they're charging now.
The three tabs I'm really torn between right now are the Xyboard 8.2, TF201, and Samsung 7.0 Plus. But man we are so close to seeing quad core as the new standard for tabs so the other part of me just wants to sit it out and wait.
So true what you said about the sitting and waiting for the quad core as the new standard, but on the other hand, HOW BAD DO WE WANT ONE!?!
Personally for me it's no competition between the Prime and other tablets, the Prime is just on another planet.
This morning the store answered my email saying that the Prime will be available mid january (in about 10 days) and said that maybe they could reserve one for me because of the small supply, but said the price may be different depending on the usd/euro stocks, but under 700$ for the 32gig version with dock...
Still I'm not planning on buying one before a test drive like you said (mostly to check for screen bleed). And yes, I took into account the moaners which is true like you said again...
I think I wathched every single review/comparison of the tablet on youtube, and read at least 10 reviews online, and it's all mostly positive.
I'll update as soon as i get my hands on a test one, hopefully in about 10 days.

[Q] G Tab or just wait?

I looking to buy a tablet and from everything I have read and tested at Office Depot (viewing angles) the G tab seems fine to me. I am sure it will be faster after I root and load new ROM.
But with all of the new tabs coming (xoom and so on) at this point should I just wait. I know the xoom seems very high to me (800.00) not sure I want to pay that much. I know I don't want to buy another tab for 2 years or so. So maybe the xoom would solve that issue.
Thoughts?
David
If you are willing to root the 'g' tablet and install one of the community developed ROMs, I say go for it. The 'g' tablet was bleeding edge when it came out, is still at the head of the pack and will remain a strong platform for another year and a half to two years.
The price is right and unless you always have to be right at the bleeding edge, you will not be disappointed with a 'g' over the time frame you are looking at (and perhaps a little beyond).
Wait for Xoom to Come Out and Then Buy GTablet
Given how active the developers are, I'm betting that within a couple of weeks of the release of Xoom there will be a XoomLite Rom here for the Gtablet. So I'd wait a couple of weeks until the Xoom comes out. Take a look at it in a store and if it is really $800, unless there is something in the Xoom hardware that you can't live without, buy the Gtablet. Then put the ROM of your choice on your Gtablet (I use TNTLite) and keep checking back for what I expect will be a version of Xoom for our Gtablets.
If you are a tinkerer- get the Gtablet now. Seems all of the devices have quirks coming out, but one common thing is some form of dual core chipset. Quirks are there in one combo or other:
1. Overpriced
2. Proprietary connectors
3. No USB Host
4. No USB
5. Did I say overpriced yet?
Example is the Xoom. Costs $800. My Gtablet and 64gb iPod 4 cost $86 less than that.
My next tab will be the iPad "2". I love the app ecosystem and the game & app quality is AMAZING. I have my Gtablet and Incredible for Android fun and for Flash & internet function. Game emulators too.
BTW, my next phone will be either the Thunderbolt, Bionic or something similar on Verizon. No iPhone and the Xperia Play will likely have proprietary connectors, no microsd (Sony proprietary) and be locked down, so no dice for me.
iTunes may suck butt since a forced interface, but a lot of apps rock hard! Real hard.
Please forgive the slight tangent of my post.
If you're still unsure, then your best bet is to wait. You may even want to wait for the new 10.1 inch samsung tablet. I believe it will cost more than the Xoom but its another option. Here are some specs for that device:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=953341
I just bought one yesterday from office depot after looking at the tabs in general for awhile and
Buying a archos 7 first. I got rid of that because it wasn't what I thought. I think the g tab is the coolest
toy I have ever had. If you want just a giant cell phone without the phone then wait for the Xoom.
The new Elocity A10 is coming out, but the 4gb is more money than the 16gb Gtablet. For the extra money you get a (supposedly) better screen and backlit buttons. But, since it hasn't been shipped out yet you have no idea about the quirks involved.
The Notion Adam looks cool, people that have it seem to like it but who knows how long it will take to get your hands on one. I would wait and watch since it is a new company.
The Archos 101 has it's pluses like a ton of codecs, but it has bugs and also supposedly has a bad screen. The price is nice though.
The Xoom is $800 and requires a month of Verizon service. It is a great looking tablet, but if I were going to spend that much I could get a good computer with money left over.
You can wait forever for more tablets tablets to come out. When the iPad was announced I kept hearing over and over that a better, cheaper Android tablet was on the way. Here we are, nearly a year out and there is nothing that competes.
Were I think the G tab excels is price point. Especially if you can get the $279 price. It has a great following on this site, a good set of hardware and once it is rooted it flies.
Buy the gtablet...better yet buy two for the cost of one xoom! We'll get honeycomb too.
If you're willing to wait, also consider toshiba's tablet. http://www.thetoshibatablet.com/
I like that it uses a full SD Card slot for cheaper/larger storage options (>32gb) and has a user replaceable battery.
vpad10s ?
I've seen a lot of comparisons between the Gtablet and other tabs, but what does everyone about the vpad10s?
From the specs and all, it looks like a dual boot Gtab, which has its own appeals.
yelrx8 said:
I've seen a lot of comparisons between the Gtablet and other tabs, but what does everyone about the vpad10s?
From the specs and all, it looks like a dual boot Gtab, which has its own appeals.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dual boot would be great if the device would at least come with Android 2.2 but instead only having 1.6 makes it deal breaker for me.
And then there's the Touchpad, the HP/Palm WebOS tablet that's due out this summer:
palm.com/us/products/pads/touchpad/index.html
Was in the same boat...
I was torn between waiting and getting the G...ended up with the G-tablet and no regrets once I figured out how to encode high def video so it would play.
Wth TNTLite installed, this thing really hums, and frankly, I was expecting a seriously bad screen, and while it's not a 90 degree viewing angle, it looks fantastic when you're looking right at it (and frankly, if I'm using it, I'm looking at it).
Not to mention that at the price they're going for (and I had shipping and taxes to get to Canada), it is still soooo much cheaper than any of the alternatives with same specs (The Elocity A10 for around the same price only has 4GB onboard).
Hope that helps...
You can always wait for something better, but for us it was a matter that it seemed like a great deal for the price. I had the FCs with the stock TnT apps but after installing the vegan rom everything is great.
Would of loved to have gotten a Xoom, but considering we got 2 Tegra2 based 10' tabs for the same price, and they do everything that we need I am satisfied.
Thanks everyone for your posts.
I have ordered a GTab from Amazon (should be here tomorrow.. you have to love prime). I have not ordered a keyboard yet nor a sd card. But have a 6gb card that should work for now.
If all goes well then I will keep it. I will try the xoom when it comes out, but for the money and features of the Gtab and for the use I need (really just notes in meetings and browsing the web) I think I am good.
Another question: I want to use either a USB keyboard or a RF keyboard/Track ball) what ROM do you suggest?
And if I wanted to make a backup of the current ROM before I upgrade what do you suggest? Or should I just use one of the manufacturer ROMs listed in the dev forum?
Again thank you for your help.
Up until last week, I too, was torn between waiting for the Xoom, or 'settling' with a lesser tab like the Galaxy Tab.
I picked up a Viewsonic G Tablet at Sears for $399, rooting it 30 minutes after unwrapping it, I've no regrets. My reasoning was as follows:
1 - Wanted it to be Android-based, so no Ipad.
2 - Galaxy Tab at 7", a little too small.
3 - Tegra2 based, should be Honeycomb-ready, no need for a rear camera.
4 - Xoom, even if Wifi-only version is released, I doubt it would beat the GTab at price.
This should last me until maybe the next gen of Android tablets arrive next year.
Currently running Vegan 5.1.1 ROM, with full market, all the apps I could want. This is so much fun!
Really was an easy choice for me. Price plus fun of rooting and flashing roms while I wait for honeycomb. The gtab rules and my friends that get to play with mine can't put it down. I can't put it down ;-)

[Q] Worth Buying?

So at my local store there is a deal on this thing, buy now, pay 6months later.
Is it worth buying? I've looked at the reviews and they are all pretty good, I like the touchwize element and the look of the Samsung customised apps on it.
I recently bricked my Sony Tablet S, so looking for something a little different until it's fixed!
Any ideas please?
Well overall, this is a pretty solid tablet. Best in class IMO.
But, that being said, it still has its quirks.
Not to mention no ICS (and we all question whether we'll get it or not)
Also, if u decide to get it, don't expect any AOSP (CM, AOKP, MIUI) for some time. Samsung isn't cooperating with us by withholding some important bits of source that we need.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using xda premium
Thanks for the feedback, for me it's not about the ROM's, but the usage. Is it stable, fast, pretty lag free?
I can get it, use it under a 15day money back guarentee.
It's a great tablet. I've had an iPad, a Samsung Galaxy Tab (original 3G 7 inch) a Galaxy Tab 10.1 and now this, and this is the first one I have been completely happy with.
The hardware is similar to the SGS2, which means its smooth and fast, with sufficient battery life for all the travelling I do. The SGT10.1 had the rather poor Tegra2 chipset which I found quite disappointing, whereas the Xynos in the SGT7+ is fast and stable. The fact that it has a microSD slot is very important to me (The SGT10.1 lacked one and therefore if you got a 16GB one, you were stuck with about 13GB of storage).
At the moment it lacks ICS, but having been using ICS on my Galaxy Nexus for a couple of months, I can live with Honeycomb for now.
I'll be sticking with my SGT7+ for a while I think!
I'm happy with mine overall, but it does have a few issues that may be common to all firmware versions:
1. Bluetooth keyboard/mouse lag has been reported.
2. Analog audio output volume can be low/problematic (I always use a bt headset).
3. I've noticed network lag on every wifi AP I've connected to: 20-150ms fluctuating ping latency to LAN and Internet hosts. Other devices on my LAN, including my old Nook Color, get the expected sub-10ms pings to each other.
Sent from my GT-P6210 using Tapatalk 2
I enjoy this tablet.
I bought this for the 7" form factor. I think it works great. I use it for taking notes, or outlining ideas, along with lots of reading. Web, E-Book, work document review whatever... it works just fine. I also like it for a "second Screen" for podcasts while I'm browsing on my desktop PC.
Cons for me are it seems to warm up on the left side with heavy wifi use, and that is mildly annoying, but tolerable. Touch Wiz seemed to talk up a bunch of RAM and crash on me, I replaced it with Go Launcher HD and haven't had a problem since. I just wish I could ditch it completely.
As far as I can tell at this moment, there isn't a another 7" tablet with the same battery life, feature set, and price point. Ultimately that is why I picked one up.
So TouchWiz isn't good on it?
It was one of the reasons why I'd buy it...
SWFlyerUK said:
So TouchWiz isn't good on it?
It was one of the reasons why I'd buy it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TouchWiz is fine on mine and on the other units I purchased for floor-use at the plant.
I have had nearly zero issues out of my 7+. Former iPad, Xoom, and Kindle Fire owner here, and the 7+ is easily the best tablet I have owned, TouchWiz included.
Very Good Product, but...
Flyer:
I have had my SGT 7 plus for about a month, and it is my favorite of our five tablets, which include a Nook Color, a Xoom and 2 Transformer 102s; all of which have ICS. It works very smoothly and has all the power I need. However I do not do intensive gaming.
The screen image is bright and clear, and aside of a few force closures, most likely caused by apps mis-behaving, I have had no problems with the stock Honeycomb OS.
Regarding the negative comments about TouchWiz, I feel it has some nice features, but I do not feel the hidden app tray on the bottom of the screen is as handy as it would be if the apps were selectable (if they are I have not figured how).
In response to the comment about TouchWiz consuming a lot of power, I personally have not found that to be the case. To me it just seems to be a feature that is somewhat unobtrusively there if you want to use it (although I would be the first to admit I probably am not familiar with all the features).
Regarding power use in general, compared to my other tablets, my SGT 7 plus is very good. In fact, if I just close the screen, it barely sips power. Of course I am sure that is, in part, because of the way I have it set up.
There are a few things that I wish were different; such as the lack of a stand alone USB connector, and the use of a proprietary charge/usb connector. But to me that is really nitpicking in the overall scheme of things.
The only serious concern I have is the impact the soon to come out SGT 2 7" will have on our getting ICS in a timely manner. There is no doubt in my mind the SGT 7 plus is a better tablet, and an excellent value when bought at the $299 or less sales price even with the Honeycomb OS.
However, it does not have ICS, and presently there is no concrete information as to when/if Samsung will make it available; and, in my opinion, ICS is a much better O.S, so availability of ICS for the SGT 7 plus is a very important consideration in deciding which tablet to buy.
In my opinion, holding prospective and recent customers in limbo in this manner, as Samsung is presently doing, is a terrible way for a company to do business. There is no doubt in my mind the SGT 7 plus is a better built tablet, with more features than the SGT 2 7", but if the SGT 7 plus does not receive the ICS it will be limited in utilization of the new software being developed, and therefore may be basically obsolete within a matter of a couple of months.
Personally, although I love mine, if considering purchasing today, I would wait another month or so to see how this scenario (ICS update) plays out.
Hope this is of help to you!
Cbill
For what its worth, Samsung HAS confirmed that we will get the update. Full stop. This was in an officially released press release, which can be found on Samsung Mobile's facebook wall.
Time frame, however, was never officially released except for the fact that the Note and the S2 would get the update first. This, to me, points to no ICS update until the Note gets its update.
Just my two cents on the ICS issue, because I keep seeing people acting like Samsung hasn't said any thing about our tablet, and they have.
Robyr:
Obviously you are not at a decision point of purchasing (or returning a recently purchased) SGT 7 plus.
O.K., lets say you are right when you opine Samsung will release ICS for the 7+. The next question is when?. Two week , two months, six months? Every week new 7" tabs, with ICS installed, and with new and improved features, are coming on the market. Given these circumstances, how long is an appropriate time to wait for a current operating system upgrade for your newly purchased (and only recently released to the market) Tablet.
I love my 7+, but I also want the smoothness, and increased versitility that ICS brings. I have it on my Transformer 102 wifi, and my Xoom wifi(contrary to what an earlier poster stated) and I even have it on my poor little ole Nook Color (CM9), and I do not feel those of us owning Tab 7+ 's, not tied to a carrier should have to wait any longer without some official indication of timing schedule from Samsung.
Let's not lose sight of the fact that the ICS operating system has been available for a considerable amount of time, and, I suspect, most, if not all of the 7 plus's that have been sold in this country were purchased in anticipation of upgrade to ICS in the" not-to-distant future" from their purchase date I know that certainly was the case with me. Instead of providing that upgrade in a timely manner, it appears Samsung chose to undercut their own customers by bringing to market a low cost, downgraded Tab 7, using ICS as a sales feature, while leaving their 7 plus customers out in the cold.
I have two days left to decide whether I will keep my 7 plus. It is not an easy decision. However, whichever way I decide, in the future I will always be very cautious about purchasing samsung phones or tablets.
Cbill
Decided to buy it, will be here tomorrow and can't wait!
All the other manufacturers are just as bad, if not worse than Samsung when it comes to upgrades of IS, and it has been a 'feature' of the phone market for as long a there have been phones capable of being upgraded.
The way I look at it is that the tablet still works exactly the same way now as it did when I bought it, irrespective of ICS's prevalence on other tablets. Sure it's nice to get a new OS, and I won't complain if ICS is released in a timely matter, but if honeycomb sucked that badly then it would have been a poor purchase in the first place.
But as for the OP, go enjoy your new tablet, and remember to feel sorry for the chumps with aching arms from holding their heavy iPads up all day =)
Sent from my GT-P6210 using xda premium
Thanks guy, arrived yesterday and what a fantastic device. Alot better than the Son Table S, although I paid £270 for mine and noticed there was no IR?
No IR
There must be some variation in the models. I bought mine in the US in Feb from Best Buy for about £250, and it came with IR, and a cool piece of IR software for controlling TVs, DVD players, etc.
However, it appears Samsung have not changed model numbers despite the hardware change.
Thanks for the response.
I'm on GT-P621 and was a little confused about root.
Can someone point me to the correct root solution thread please?
Not a noob, but a newby to this device!
SWFlyerUK said:
Can someone point me to the correct root solution thread please?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1367249

Keep tf700 or wait for tegra 4?

I bought the tf700 about 2 weeks ago from best buy using the 50$ coupon that best buy messed up on. I actually bought it for 419 w/ tax going up to 450 which also includes the dock. Is this a good price for this? Well I have 2 weeks left for a full refund and I'm still debating if I should get a refund and wait for tegra 4 tablets or just keep it. There is slight flex on the screen which makes a clicking noise when I press on it but it doesn't really bother me. At first I was looking into ultrabooks but I gave tablet a try. Besides it's hard to find i5 ultrabooks for under 500. Help me decide!!
odorfreedk said:
I bought the tf700 about 2 weeks ago from best buy using the 50$ coupon that best buy messed up on. I actually bought it for 419 w/ tax going up to 450 which also includes the dock. Is this a good price for this? Well I have 2 weeks left for a full refund and I'm still debating if I should get a refund and wait for tegra 4 tablets or just keep it. There is slight flex on the screen which makes a clicking noise when I press on it but it doesn't really bother me. At first I was looking into ultrabooks but I gave tablet a try. Besides it's hard to find i5 ultrabooks for under 500. Help me decide!!
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That is a good price IMO.
I'd say this is a factor of your budget and how much you use your tablet. I got the first Android tablet, a Motorola Xoom, on launch day. I had it for a few months and used it a lot then decided to sell it prematurely in order to wait for the next best thing which in my eyes was an HD screen. Well I ended up having to wait almost a year before I got my next tablet, a TF700. That entire year I was kicking myself for not holding on to the Xoom until I actually had another tablet in my possession.
So I guess you have to ask yourself how important to you is having a tablet? At that price I'm guessing you could probably sell it for a ~$100 loss a few months down the road. Who knows though the next generation of tablets might take longer to come out, like the delay we had on the 1080P tablets. With that in mind, if I were you, I'd keep it!
$450.00 for tab and dock?
I'd say that's a good deal.
If the click bugs you trade that in for one that doesn't click.
Just picked up a TF700 myself and I was literally asking myself the same question. I've got a little less than 60 days to return this to BBY if another tab is announced for release soon.
I guess, there are a few things to consider.
1) Is the better performance/battery life of the new device going to be significant? If they jack up the resolution like the N10, it will probably be closer to par with the TF700.
2) Will a new tablet have any hardware issues (e.g. TF-Prime GPS & Wifi problems)? The TF700 is a mature product and it's limitations are well outlined. If you buy a TF700 now, you know exactly what you are going to get.
3) What new features will be on this Tab, and are they worth waiting for? TF700 has SDXC, mini HDMI, a dock with full USB, Full HD, etc. It's a good feature set. TF700 is a bit low on ram with only 1GB, I'd rather have 2GB. It's missing an integrated LTE modem that is said to be in T4, but TBH, I would always buy the wifi version anyway. Better battery life, I wouldn't pay for the extra data plan, and my phone is now tethering fine (thanks TrevE). N10 like resolution looks impressive on paper, but not so in person. I have good eyesight, and the difference isn't noticeable. It's an advertising point over the ipad. Google needs to stop chasing Apple and build more hardware features into their tablets that Apple didn't already do a year ago, but I digress.
4) Are there any applications you cannot run on the TF700 that a new tab would fix? I picked u the TF700 because my Touchpad (running CM9) keeps crashing skype; which I use daily. I run a somewhat recent nightly, and since the Camera fix (thanks for that Dorregaray) being able to use skype at all is awesome. However, having to reboot the tablet 6 times in a night and constantly mucking up the conversation is real pain. Since using the TF700, I haven't had one hiccup in skype. That is worth a lot to me, but a newer tab won't make it better.
Anyway, those are the things I've been mulling over. I will need to see what the new Transformer will look like before I make any kind of decision.
Edit: FWIW, I paid $468 for the tab & a 32GB micro sdxc card. I think you got the better deal.
Have they given a release date for any Tegra4 device? I thought one was shown at the last electronics show but it was still a development model and didn't mention anything about release times or price. You could be waiting awhile and in meantime if you keep the TF700 start stashing away some money monthly for the next wave of tablets. That could help on any loss you take or cover the difference to a model with more storage.
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1 - I don't think anyone can tell what the performance and battery life will be like right now. New devices and cpu's are marketed as more performance while reducing energy needs but the tech community needs products to test before accepting what is said as fact. Are Tegra4 chps supposed to run at the same power that today's Tegra3 chips do but have the better performance? That is a performance improvement while reducing the power needed if they were to make a Tegra3 to equal that performance. Someone may have a better answer regarding power saving but remember a bumped up screen size will probably draw more power anyway.
2 - Again probably hard to answer. Until the product hits the market we really won't know how it performs and what problems it may or may not have. It is a risk you take by buying the next and greatest device. Prime was the next and greatest device and we know how that turned out. We can only hope they get the message after 3 devices that they need better I/O components.
4 - As far as applications I think many people have issue with games that are released or already out and "not supported" by our device. It will take some time once a new device comes out for companies to tweak the code or whatever they do to have the games run on the device. That is done on their whim. Why some haven't not done now on the TF700 (Gameloft and EA) is a question I don't think anyone truly knows. Some guess it's screen resolution and they don't want to change the code to render the graphics properly for our device.
But really you can wait and wait and still not be satisfied because something else is a few months away. This technology is moving fast.
fsured said:
But really you can wait and wait and still not be satisfied because something else is a few months away. This technology is moving fast.
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Well, I had really wanted a "Wayne" (Tegra 4) device, and was waiting for that to launch to replace/augment the touchpad. The marketing slides showing kepler tech integrated into the SoC is actually a little bit exicting to me. However, I took advantage of a time limited offer to get the TFI at a reduced price. I use google docs for invoicing clients, and the Touchpad wasn't handling that well enough for me to do it on site. I found myself just waiting to get home to do it & emailing an invoice back. The TFI with the keyboard dock provides an excellent solution, and I had considered getting an ultra book for this purpose, but at about half the price of the ultrabook I was looking at, while fulfilling essentially the same purpose, having the same size profile, and better battery life, well it seemed like the better bargain.
That said, if I could get my hands on a next gen transformer within the next 60 days, I'd likely trade this in, in a heart beat.
My opinion the TF700T is viable for a while longer.
Glad the FHD tabs didn't shoot of into a numbers game as quick as I thought they would.
All I can say is after the "lobotomy" lol...my tablet has been a satisfying adventure.
It's smooth no jitters, games well (light gaming), plays my Xfinity downloads without a hitch, wifi connects stays connected, gps is quick,
browser is hanging in there...etc.
Just for a bit of comparison:
I've side by sided the tablet with my 2 year old HP AMD A6 notebook, and for what it is the tab has about the same amount of annoyance that a Win7 notebook has.
Not comparing Windows to Android just noting all devices big and small can of course suffer glitchiness.
Once the system settles in and with a little restraint as far as collecting\installing poorly written apps the Infinity remains a buy at least for me.
Hopefully when the newer tabs start popping perhaps some of us hold-outs will benefit from a much better selection of HD tablet applications.
Toastysoul said:
Just picked up a TF700 myself and I was literally asking myself the same question. I've got a little less than 60 days to return this to BBY if another tab is announced for release soon.
I guess, there are a few things to consider.
1) Is the better performance/battery life of the new device going to be significant? If they jack up the resolution like the N10, it will probably be closer to par with the TF700.
2) Will a new tablet have any hardware issues (e.g. TF-Prime GPS & Wifi problems)? The TF700 is a mature product and it's limitations are well outlined. If you buy a TF700 now, you know exactly what you are going to get.
3) What new features will be on this Tab, and are they worth waiting for? TF700 has SDXC, mini HDMI, a dock with full USB, Full HD, etc. It's a good feature set. TF700 is a bit low on ram with only 1GB, I'd rather have 2GB. It's missing an integrated LTE modem that is said to be in T4, but TBH, I would always buy the wifi version anyway. Better battery life, I wouldn't pay for the extra data plan, and my phone is now tethering fine (thanks TrevE). N10 like resolution looks impressive on paper, but not so in person. I have good eyesight, and the difference isn't noticeable. It's an advertising point over the ipad. Google needs to stop chasing Apple and build more hardware features into their tablets that Apple didn't already do a year ago, but I digress.
4) Are there any applications you cannot run on the TF700 that a new tab would fix? I picked u the TF700 because my Touchpad (running CM9) keeps crashing skype; which I use daily. I run a somewhat recent nightly, and since the Camera fix (thanks for that Dorregaray) being able to use skype at all is awesome. However, having to reboot the tablet 6 times in a night and constantly mucking up the conversation is real pain. Since using the TF700, I haven't had one hiccup in skype. That is worth a lot to me, but a newer tab won't make it better.
Anyway, those are the things I've been mulling over. I will need to see what the new Transformer will look like before I make any kind of decision.
Edit: FWIW, I paid $468 for the tab & a 32GB micro sdxc card. I think you got the better deal.
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How did you get the 60 day refund period? On my best buy receipt it states 30 days hassle free returns. Also it's a little weird that my tf700 freezes and randomly reboots. It doesn't do it frequently but once in awhile it does that.....very weird. This is actually my second tablet because the first one had slight flex but the current one actually makes a small clicking noise too. Honestly it doens't really bother me but ASus def needs to work on their quality control
Personally, waiting for the next tablet from ASUS (I assume you want a Transformer tablet) will be a very painful experience. Our tf700 was announced at CES 2012 (in January 2012), but only became available for sale at least 4 months later (depend on your location). Given the fact that ASUS has not announced any successor to our Infinity yet, I am inclined to believe if there is a Tegra 4 tablet from ASUS, it will only be available to us on the second half of the year. I have been waiting for the Transformer Book for many months but it is still not available. To me, waiting for something that is not even announced yet is a waste of time and effort.
I would strongly reccomend this tab to anyone who needs something with similar functionality to a netbook or ultrabook but I am looking forward to see what will come next. I would love to see something with a little more power hit the same nitch and with about the same price point... I'm actually waiting on the razer edge tablet to see what it turns into. anyways, I plan on hanging on to my TF700 even if I do get an ultrabook or the edge.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk HD
odorfreedk said:
How did you get the 60 day refund period? On my best buy receipt it states 30 days hassle free returns. Also it's a little weird that my tf700 freezes and randomly reboots. It doesn't do it frequently but once in awhile it does that.....very weird. This is actually my second tablet because the first one had slight flex but the current one actually makes a small clicking noise too. Honestly it doens't really bother me but ASus def needs to work on their quality control
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Premier Silver. Drop enough cash at best buy and you get side benefits, like a doubled return period. Most of the the other benefits are less useful. I don't bother with the complimentary Geek Squad services, for example. Even if I wanted or needed their services (I don't), I still wouldn't use it. Mostly, that's just an opportunity for them to come into your home and look for things they can sell you.
Honestly. ...maybe a extra gig of ram would make this tablet perfect for me. The resolution is ideal for me and the speed is great (running CleanRom) and it does what I hope to get from it. And I use my note 2 for the extra stuff (multi window, nfc sharing etc). And to top that, the mobile giants still have not made 100% use of the quad core as it is and until then, asus infinity is a keeper.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda app-developers app
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Tegra-4-Wayne-Project-Shield-Nvidia-Grid-Fiscal-2013,21082.html
Tegra 4 isn't shipping until QTR 3 2013. Given that time frame, I'm reasonably happy with my purchase. If the SoC isn't even shipping until then, you won't see devices until QTR 4, and that's nearly a year away. No doubt there will be better performers from Qualcomm sooner than that, but even so, I'm happy with the device I have for now.
searched but haven't even found rumors on a successor - had the TFPrime before and since it got nicked I am waiting for sth new to play with.
Have started considering the Samsung Tab Plus (whenever announced) given the higher res. Still seems that the TF700 has enough muscles and the add keyboard (+battery) is clearly a plus...
Anyhow - have there been any news on the TF700 successor that I missed
Its becomming a bit rusty given the time its already in the market :laugh:
nellycruzz said:
Honestly. ...maybe a extra gig of ram would make this tablet perfect for me. The resolution is ideal for me and the speed is great (running CleanRom) and it does what I hope to get from it. And I use my note 2 for the extra stuff (multi window, nfc sharing etc). And to top that, the mobile giants still have not made 100% use of the quad core as it is and until then, asus infinity is a keeper.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda app-developers app
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I have to agree about the extra gig of ram. But in response to the OP's question, yes that is a very good price. You could always dualboot it with rabbits' linux so as to gain some of the functionality that you would get with an ultrabook. The infinity will not become redundant for a while yet in my opinion so I say go for it.
For tablet with awesome dock integration the tf700 cant be beat. You also got a great deal on both. As far at Tegra 4 devices in particular Asus ones, no one knows yet when they will actually release one so you will have to play the waiting game. Vizio is the only one I know of that is coming out with one but not sold in the U.S. and doesn't have a keyboard dock option.
As someone mentioned the tf700 is a good laptop or netbook replacement. So if you're not going to play high graphic games on it like gameloft games then its a good tablet. But I do recommend you unlock and install custom rom on it as it lags quite a bit in stock form.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2
The price is good, considering you got the dock with it.
Toastysoul said:
Just picked up a TF700 myself and I was literally asking myself the same question. I've got a little less than 60 days to return this to BBY if another tab is announced for release soon.
I guess, there are a few things to consider.
1) Is the better performance/battery life of the new device going to be significant? If they jack up the resolution like the N10, it will probably be closer to par with the TF700.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless the device has a battery-powered dock, I'd suspect battery life is going to be on par at best -- expect it to be worse. This may not apply if the new device carries one of those funky new battery design which last for a week and are charged in 10 minutes, but those will only get on the market in about two years, they reckon.
2) Will a new tablet have any hardware issues (e.g. TF-Prime GPS & Wifi problems)? The TF700 is a mature product and it's limitations are well outlined. If you buy a TF700 now, you know exactly what you are going to get.
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Click to collapse
Obviously true, and very significant remark. Any device will have its issues, and given the fact that the TF201 suffered from some of these as well, I'd not expect the next Transformer to be faultless either. :S
3) What new features will be on this Tab, and are they worth waiting for? TF700 has SDXC, mini HDMI, a dock with full USB, Full HD, etc. It's a good feature set. TF700 is a bit low on ram with only 1GB, I'd rather have 2GB. It's missing an integrated LTE modem that is said to be in T4, but TBH, I would always buy the wifi version anyway. Better battery life, I wouldn't pay for the extra data plan, and my phone is now tethering fine (thanks TrevE). N10 like resolution looks impressive on paper, but not so in person. I have good eyesight, and the difference isn't noticeable. It's an advertising point over the ipad. Google needs to stop chasing Apple and build more hardware features into their tablets that Apple didn't already do a year ago, but I digress.
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Click to collapse
And the N10 has both QA and availability issues, for example.
Following your digression for a bit: Apple had already lost the innovation game in the tablet and smartphone worlds a few years ago. All they have done is increase screen size, and (sometimes) resolution.
4) Are there any applications you cannot run on the TF700 that a new tab would fix? I picked u the TF700 because my Touchpad (running CM9) keeps crashing skype; which I use daily. I run a somewhat recent nightly, and since the Camera fix (thanks for that Dorregaray) being able to use skype at all is awesome. However, having to reboot the tablet 6 times in a night and constantly mucking up the conversation is real pain. Since using the TF700, I haven't had one hiccup in skype. That is worth a lot to me, but a newer tab won't make it better.
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Click to collapse
If anything, the older device will probably support more apps altogether -- if you have experienced the transitions from Froyo to Gingerbread to Ice Cream Sandwich to Jelly Bean, you have noticed that we lost a lot of apps along the way that were pretty good in themselves, but just weren't given the TLC to update them to function on the new version. Backward compatibility is less of an issue when the programmer takes it into account when developing his/her app, but too often an app is just hacked together and subsequently, essentially, abandoned.[/QUOTE]

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