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[Q] Does the physical hard disk slow the TF down?

So I read that the TF is cheaper because it uses a hard disk instead of flash storage.
Does anyone notice the difference? Is it noisy?

LOL where did you read that bullcrap? I am 100% sure my TF101 has an SSD, operation is silent.

Wherever you read that... well... it's just wrong. It's flash based memory, no moving parts. The only sound (other than from the speakers) is the hum from the screen. But then all screens make a noise due to their frequencies. Some people will hear it, others won't.

How the heck is a disk drive supposed to fit in something that thin...

Voodoo magic and a huge crowbar.

Ok guys my bad! I just had to ask since I read it on some sites.
You can close this thread now

There is some manufacturer coming out with a tablet soon that has a spinning hard drive. I can't remember who it is, maybe Archos?

Taknarosh said:
How the heck is a disk drive supposed to fit in something that thin...
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It is indeed flash based, as others have noted, but hard disks that thin have been readily available for years. Type-II CompactFlash microdrives are none other than a small hard drive, and first appeared in 1999. A Type-II CompactFlash card is only 5mm thick.
Yes, capacities have lagged way behind flash though, partly because Microdrives have fallen out of popularity as flash memory has gotten cheaper. Hence the largest Microdrive is only 8GB. They also have issues in terms of shock resistance and susceptibility to damage from air pressure changes, etc.

archos tablets will have hard drives.

Archos has had a tablet with a 250gb hard drive for long
http://www.archos.com/store/psearch.html?country=dk&lang=en&prod_id=archos70it

Archos like HDD's, cheaper and lots more storage. They have a shock mounting system thing, like HP drivegaurd, or Sony hdd protect (I think apple have one, but lets not mention them )
Anyway, thread closed as per OP req
Badwolve1

[q] i know> not the place for this

IF YOU DONT WANT TO HELP JUST KEEP TO YOUR SELF PLEASE.
I am trying to put a computer together and thought that some people might know more about this than me.
This is what i have come up with. if anyone has used any of these parts please let me know what you think.
Asus AMD 970 + SB950 Chipset Socket AM3+ 4*DDR3 2*PCIEX16 USB3.0 SATA6g 1394 ATX Motherboard Phenom II 6 Core 3.2ghz CPU 16GB DDR3 Radeon HD6850 1GB DDR5 Graphics Card 2 1TB RAIDed for Speed SATA3.0 6gbps Hard Drives (2TB total storage) Sony Blu-Ray Writer Antec 300 Case 750W Power Supply Windows 7 Professional with XP Virtual machine
also if you think of anything i can add let me know

Well...you're right about one thing...
this wasn't the place for that.

You can create a build with these components on Newegg and ask for feedback
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium App

thanks did not know where to ask.

PS, where ever you ask, be forewarned that no one will EVER agree with your build. In fact, every person you ask will suggest you switch out at least one component. One thing I have learned from building my own (and customer's) computers for the last 10+ years: as long as all the parts are technically compatible, and no individual part has a major problem (like a high failure rate, exceptionally low performance compared to similar parts, etc.), you can't go too wrong.

[Q] Anyone using an OQO Model 2?

Does anyone still use an OQO Model 2? If so, how would you rate the performance in comparison to say, a Galaxy Tab 10.1? By performance, I mean, browser performance, things like netflix, etc. I am very intrigued by the OQO and I am thinking about losing the tablets and going to a Model 02.

I have had an OQO 02 for a few years, and cannot fathom the thought of parting with it. These days I only use it as a "bedside" computer with 15" TV/Monitor, Full sized keyboard and mouse, using the OQO dock w/dvd r/cdr rw. I have in the past used it as my primary computer w/a triple monitor setup and a host of other "proof of concept" projects including using it as a mobile voip platform.
A few things to consider:
It would NOT be a good substitute for a tablet. Screen is too small. But can you put that tablet in your pocket?
The screen is not capacitive ie: "touch". It is proprietary Wacom - needs a Wacom pen to use for screen input.
If you decide to get one, only get the 1.5 ghz model, the 1.6 ghz model has, well, bad motherboards.
It has a noisy fan.
It has an underwhelming VIA CPU with only 1 meg RAM - I call it the "chugger" as in the "The little engine that could".
On the brighter side, Windows 7 works best with it and it should work even better with 8! I have only used Win8 Preview on it and it works fine - but I couldn't do an "upgrade" (loading previous drivers from existing Win7) because it says not enough memory, <1 meg. A full, fresh, install worked fine. I will wait for Win 8 RC0 to arrive before I commit.
The machine is very durable - I am hard on my equipment and the OQO has fared very well through my abuse.
Batteries are hard to find, although available with search - at the moment I am having two batteries recondtioned/fixed locally. They are available on ebay (used), also.
Finally, the OQO is a niche product. You have to want the very small form factor with full Windows OS (or Linux/Mac) to appreciate it.
See OQOTalk and OQOasis for the best information.
Hope this helps!
oqoman

Hi OQOman,
Thanks for replying! You have really given me a lot to think about. Of you wouldn't mind, could you tell me, is $300 a fair price for a model two with the specs you described? I have found several on eBay, but it seems most don't actually have the Wacom digitizer. I really want to try to load an older version of illustrator (maybe CS or cs3). Any thoughts?
Thanks
Kim

$300 seems to be a fair price. Be sure to get the pen. It's a $30 (when new) accessory.
I would look at Oqotalk and Oqoasis forums for the oqo 02 and accessories. Those two forums are the "Bible" for OQO. I wouldn't buy anything until I had read those boards.
Adobe should run on it. Remember it is only 1 meg RAM - but owners have used it.
All OQO 02 have the Wacom (inductive) screens.
OQOman

That Wacom pen, is it special to the oqo or can I buy another one that is Wacom but not specifically labeled for oqo?

All Wacom "penabled" pens work.

I've had both a 02, and 01+, and I have to say, I love them. If you do get one, I'd recommend doing a little modification, and throw an SSD in. The 02 requires a zif ssd, and the 01+ requires a 50pin IDE 5mm ssd, but as oqoman said, oqotalk and oqoasis seem to be the best places online to get infos. Oqoasis moreso, since oqotalk seems to have slowed down a bit.

Where are you having your batteries reconditioned?
oqoman said:
Batteries are hard to find, although available with search - at the moment I am having two batteries recondtioned/fixed locally. They are available on ebay (used), also.
oqoman
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Hi just ran into your post and wondering where you're having your batteries reconditioned or fixed? Will a Batteries+ type of shop work on these? Appreciate any insight you can provide to steer me in the right direction. Thanks!

OQO-2 resurrection
Hi, a few months ago I 'inherited' an OQO-2 along with a CD/DVD 'dock' and power-supply. It came without any manuals. The battery was about to explode, so I removed it and soldered the leads in the empty battery-housing to allow the power-adapter to run the computer. It's been up and running for a few months with an Ubuntu LinUx installed by the previous owner. Unfortunately it seems that I cannot set the screen resolution properly(it only allows for 640x480) and so I am never able to see the lower- and right-third of my screen. This makes it hard to do much of anything!
I've connected an external monitor to the dock, but I cannot get the computer to switch to it. Is there a specific keystroke-sequence required to switch to the external?
I've also attempted to install Windows 7 via CD/DVD. When I power-on the computer it'll access the CD/DVD, but it always returns to loading Ubuntu without allowing me to install Windows. Do I need to set the CD/DVD to 'boot' or to 'first-boot' in BIOS? If so, how do I access BIOS?
Rick Baran
USN, ret.

[Q] Cheap ICS Tablet... What's the catch?

Saw these on newegg the other day. Specs are impressive including an A10 arm CPU @1.5 ghz and Mali-400 GPU, with ICS out of the box... but for around $120? What's the catch here..? Yeah it looks quite a bit like a Dell Streak 7 at first glance - 480x800 res and only has 4GB for storage and only 512 ram... There's a lack of reviews on this thing and I'm considering getting one... But can anyone give me a reason to not buy one?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0U009E3479
More detailed specs on Buy.com:
http://www.buy.com/pr/product.aspx?sku=230139359&sellerid=18700237
Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Nothing as far as I know. I remember reading about this tablet being the 1st ICS available. It was a GB tablet that didn't sell well, so they converted it to ICS.
BUT! I might be thinking of another similar tablet.

its kinda like a banana split, without the split

...did that say usb 3?
There's just so many that fit into that category Thanks for such quick input!
Another down side is no sd/micro sd slot built in. But with a usb port perhaps a game controller could be used? And did I see right that this thing has usb 3.0? Even if external sd/micro sd isn't available with usb3 transferring data should go pretty quick.
It has it's faults for sure but the hardware alone makes it worth the $120... All I would have to do is add a few games and snes9x ex and fpse... serious budget gaming tablet potential here.

anactoraaron said:
There's just so many that fit into that category Thanks for such quick input!
Another down side is no sd/micro sd slot built in. But with a usb port perhaps a game controller could be used? And did I see right that this thing has usb 3.0? Even if external sd/micro sd isn't available with usb3 transferring data should go pretty quick.
It has it's faults for sure but the hardware alone makes it worth the $120... All I would have to do is add a few games and snes9x ex and fpse... serious budget gaming tablet potential here.
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im actually thinkin about buyin it

Huh, would ya' look at that.
Being a poor student and not having a laptop sucks, so maybe this one could comfort me all those harsh, horrifying hours of class where I have to write my notes on paper.
That's right, I have use paper! And a pen!
Does anyone have any experience with a tablet as a notetaking tool?
I get the feeling that it'd work out pretty nicely, but you never know.

Please use the Q&A Forum for questions &
Read the Forum Rules Ref Posting
Moving to Q&A

Little Basic Help

I apologize, but I live 300 miles from any town with electronic stores to seek these answers, I also would be reluctant to trust a sales person anyway. I am a smart phone aholic and get tremendous amounts of good Intel on this site, so I came here.
I really need to update my laptop and am thinking of getting the new Surface. The way I understand it is you can buy a case with a hard keyboard, so you can use it like a laptop, and also take that off and make it a tablet. How do you install new software? Does it have a DVD, or do you connect to external? Is there any drawback to this device? Thanks
Sent from my VS980 4G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

If it's a Surface RT the only way to install software is through the Windows 8 app store. If it's a Surface Pro you can install any software you would on a PC including apps from theb Windows 8 app store. I'm pretty sure you could hook up an external DVD drive to it...

big70tom said:
I live 300 miles from any town with electronic stores
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I'm convinced you could only be living under a rock or a cave in the middle of nowhere. :laugh:
big70tom said:
Is there any drawback to this device?
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A Microsoft Surface is not a replacement for an actual laptop despite what anyone says. The answers to all of your questions is "Yes", however, you are still making a compromise. I love my Windows 8.1 Pro tablet, I use it daily, however you aren't going to be as "productive" as you would be getting an actual laptop?
The Surface (Pro) is a really good buy for the fun factor.

The thing you're thinking of buying is the Type Cover (the second generation one has backlit keys and is a bit thinner, but the first-gen one is cheaper and works fine). It's a full-size keyboard (that is, the keys are full-sized and at the usual spacing; it obviously doesn't have room for the full 104-ish keys of a desktop keyboard) plus a trackpad. It is not a case in any traditional sense, although it does work as a screen protector when "closed". It connects magnetically; removing it and reconnecting it is literally a snap (or perhaps "clack!") The magnets are strong enough you can fold the cover behind the tablet (although with the type cover this feels weird because the keys can move beneath your fingers, but at least they turn off automatically) or even dangle the tablet from the cover (not recommended but a cool trick anyhow).
Installing software is done the same way you would on any recent PC; you download it. The tablet has WiFi built in. There's a built-in store that can install and update "modern" apps, but you can also just download programs off the web/FTP servers/whatever. If you need to install off of an actual optical disk (CD or DVD) rather than a disk image (which Win8 can mount as a virtual drive), you will need an external optical drive that connects to the tablet using USB (there's a full-size USB3 port on the side of the Surface Pro). If you really need a wired network connection for some reason, you can get a USB Ethernet adaptor (they're only a few dollars) but that will take up the tablet's USB port. You can also use (USB) external hard disks or flashdrives with the tablet, as a way to transfer files including installers. I recommend getting a USB hub (ideally, one that can handle USB3) if you're going to use a lot of USB devices.
As for drawbacks, the biggest one is arguably that it's small. It's thick for a (modern) tablet, but at only 10.8" (about 28cm) diagonally, the screen is on the small size for a laptop. The case also doesn't have room for a lot of ports. You've got the aforementioned USB3 port, a miniDisplayPort, a headset (headphones+mic, like for a smartphone) port, a microSD card slot, the magnetic power connector (which is also where the stylus rests), and the magnetic cover port (which is how the covers send keyboard and mouse input to the tablet). No VGA (you can get a converter for the miniDP port, though), no surround sound output (the built-in speakers are ok for a tablet but nothing special), no serial or parallel ports (you can use a USB adaptor), no PS/2 port (USB adaptor), no wired Ethernet ports (USB adaptor), no card-reader for anything bigger than microSD (USB adaptor), nowhere to install additional storage or an optical drive (USB...), and only one USB port (hence the recommended USB hub). The Type (or Touch) covers offer very usably-sized keyboards, but a lot of keys are missing or require you to hold the Fn key at the same time. The next-biggest drawback is probably the price-to-specs ratio; while very attractive compared to other "ultrabooks" and high-end x86_64 tablets, you can get a more powerful actual laptop for half the price. The first-gen Pro also has a pretty mediocre battery life (5-ish hours) and a kickstand which only opens to one angle (which some people find to be not the correct angle for them). None of the internal components (battery, CPU, RAM, Flash storage, etc.) are removable/replaceable/upgradable, and the max specs of the original Pro (5GB of RAM, 128GB of internal Flash storage) aren't very impressive. There's also no dedicated graphics processor; the integrated Intel graphics are OK for light-to-moderate gaming, but not for serious gamers or any task requiring much GPU acceleration.
With all that said, it's a very nice, compact, lightweight 64-bit Windows computer with an excellent display (for the size), excellent stylus and touchscreen, very durable body (even without cover, though you really should get one anyhow), and good manufacturer support. It's usable as either a tablet or a laptop, and while it can't be said to be ideal for either, it's pretty good.
To give you any more advice on whether it's suitable would require knowing a lot more about why you're thinking of buying one and what you'd be doing with it.

Which I had read and understood a review like yours before I made a compulsive purchase on Christmas night! I purchased an RT 64GB version, not realising that it is not very well supported on the available app front.....no Google chrome and very few other apps that I have become to consider standard with my Samsung Android tablet. I think note in hind sight I should have purchased the pro version but the price difference from Tesco was GBP 400 vs GBP 950 for the pro. I agree that you should definitely get the cover keyboard and the old version (mk I) is on special offer at GBP 45 vs GBP 99 for the mkII with back light keys.
Oh and there is no onboard GPS receiver so forget navigation!
Sent with desire from My One