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I was near an Office Depot today and stopped in to see if they had the G Tablet on display. Sure enough there it was very close to the front of the store in an Android tablets display. I had never seen the device in person before and based on what I have been reading I was expecting to see literally the worst screen I have ever seen on a device. Imagine my surprise when I hit the power button and was presented with what was in my opinion a very nice display. Sure if I changed my viewing angle to an unnatural position it started to look worse but it's a tablet! I'm literally always going to have it directly in my line of sight. When used in this manner I thought it looked great!
I have bought and returned an iPad 2 due to terrible backlight bleeding. One thing that struck me as much better about the G Tablet screen was that it was much less pixelated than the iPad 2 screen. Web pages were sharper as was the overall interface. In my opinion the viewing angle issue has been greatly overblown.
This unit on display was running in the classic mode and even then it was quite sluggish. I'm not sure if this should be attributed to the fact that Viewsonic's ROM is simply awful or if this particular unit had an issue. Regardless I'll be rooting and installing one of the preferred ROM's on my device anyway so performance will not be an issue.
For $279 this is looking like quite a value, can't wait to receive it!
Nice to read this. I was also expecting to see a really crappy display that blacks out the second you tilt your head a fraction. Really glad to hear that this isn't the case.
Now I'm about to stand on my head to get a shipping email. Ain't gonna happen until at least Monday.
Good lord. I wasn't this anxious for Xmas when I was a kid ;->
Metal_in_Silk said:
Nice to read this. I was also expecting to see a really crappy display that blacks out the second you tilt your head a fraction. Really glad to hear that this isn't the case.
Now I'm about to stand on my head to get a shipping email. Ain't gonna happen until at least Monday.
Good lord. I wasn't this anxious for Xmas when I was a kid ;->
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You are funny but I get you nothing like the anticipation of a new tech toy. You will love gtab particularly thinking about how much you paid for such a fun device.
The screen is fine in landscape mode as you indeed will position it at a natural angle and everything will be fine. Just so I am clear, by natural, I mean you don't really position the display perfectly flat in front of your eyes, you tend to look at the screen having your eyes positioned higher than the screen (unless your the kind of person who enjoys having his arms in the air). This is when colors are the most uniform from top to bottom. if you were to raise it or lean it back too much so that you end up positioning your eyes lower than the bottom of the tablet, you get past the screen's viewing angle.
This is only problematic in portrait mode (which I seldom use). For example, if you rotate your tablet so that the top is now facing left, you then need to position the tablet to your right a little to get the same color uniformity as you need to keep both your eyes over the top of the tablet.
If they made xooms or ipads with this screen for 300$ in addition to the 600$ "perfect screen", I would chose the 300$ one as you easily get used to it.
To put it in perspective, the touchscreen is not sensitive enough on a tiny area at the top left corner of my g-tablet and I have trouble taping things there (where the home button is located on VEGAn tab and the battery icon on gAdam). Comparatively, this is by far a worst problem than the viewing angle in my mind.
I think it looks bad, when I have it laying down I can't see a thing. When I show friends something I wonder if they can see it. It's not the worst but it could be much better
(Devil's Advocate)
I've had my GTAB since November and I do love the device - it's a modder's dream since it's very difficult to fully brick. Got mine used on the cheap and I feel that the hardware itself is solid. Except the screen.
You are 100% correct that it's fine when using spot-on in landscape, but tilt it ever so slightly down and solarization begins. And, in portrait mode, even the slightest tilt will change the screen image significantly.
I didn't really notice this flaw at first. It really took me at least a week or two of using it for various things before it became noticable. Trying to play a game where you need to move the device around a lot, playing a video when it's flat on the table and you are looking at it from an angle. Or reading comics in portrait mode.
The iPad1, for all its faults (and there are many), has a fantastic IPS screen that eats the GTAB's for lunch. I have a SmartQ R10 with the same screen and that's what I use for reading comics... not the GTAB. I think the screen has been the #1 hardware issue here in XDA since the forum opened - so much so that there are several threads on trying to get a replacement screen that would fit.
Here's a post I made over at Slatedroid comparing the GTAB angles with a Xoom and an R10: http://www.slatedroid.com/index.php?/topic/15865-screen-angles/. Those pictures are very accurate.
Not trying to kill people's excitement - just understand what you're getting - it's still a GREAT bargain and a great device. But the screen angles can be a problem, depending on what you use it for.
As for the question on speed -- imo, 3389 (and even the latest 3588 release) are still a bit sluggish, as you mentioned. Several alternate ROMs out there will improve speeds significantly as they are using newer drivers that Viewsonic has yet to incorporate into a released firmware.
I should think that those of us who don't plan to watch videos or play games will be quite satisfied with it.
Thanks for the comparison pictures -- that was a great service to those of us on the fence The viewing angle issue, while noticeable, now seems tolerable to me. I'm torn between grabbing a Xoom tomorrow or ordering a G-tab from Tigerdirect tonight (kicking myself for being such a wuss and not getting it from Woot...). Aside from the screen, my biggest concern is that the G-tab will never get Honeycomb, and if it does, whether or not the lower resolution will make it incompatible with tablet apps. I love Android, but I don't want to use the tablet as an oversized phoneless phone for too long.
Decisions, decisions ...
roebeet said:
Here's a post I made over at Slatedroid comparing the GTAB angles with a Xoom and an R10: http://www.slatedroid.com/index.php?/topic/15865-screen-angles/. Those pictures are very accurate
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From those pictures I doesn't look that bad. Sure IPS has better viewing angles, but most people use a TFT monitor on their computer at home, and they dont complain. There is a down side to IPS and its the refresh rate that can cause ghosting. Plus think of it as a semi security feature, it will be harder for people to look over your shoulder and see what you are up to.
Google seems to be really bent out of shape with getting AOSP out for 3.0 - my guess is that Moto is really paying them them a nice sum to keep the Xoom as the ONLY HC device around.
If one Harmony based device gets HC, someone will probably manage to port it to ours. We just need that first device to get it. But that may not be for a long time. And agreed on the screen, but keep in mind that the Notion Ink Adam has the same screen so if they manage to port it, then the GTAB will likely get it.
LowSky said:
From those pictures I doesn't look that bad. Sure IPS has better viewing angles, but most people use a TFT monitor on their computer at home, and they dont complain. There is a down side to IPS and its the refresh rate that can cause ghosting. Plus think of it as a semi security feature, it will be harder for people to look over your shoulder and see what you are up to.
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Agreed - the bottom line it what you plan to do with the device. Spot-on landscape mode looks like just like a netbook screen, because that's exactly what's in the GTAB.
docprego said:
I was near an Office Depot today and stopped in to see if they had the G Tablet on display. Sure enough there it was very close to the front of the store in an Android tablets display. I had never seen the device in person before and based on what I have been reading I was expecting to see literally the worst screen I have ever seen on a device. Imagine my surprise when I hit the power button and was presented with what was in my opinion a very nice display. Sure if I changed my viewing angle to an unnatural position it started to look worse but it's a tablet! I'm literally always going to have it directly in my line of sight. When used in this manner I thought it looked great!
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People like to exaggerate. I don't know why, but they like to do it. It's also because this unit doesn't cost as much as, say, the ipad.
My brother, someone who always wants the newest and greatest, came over to visit today with his 2 kids. I let the kids play with the device because they were curious. My brother started criticizing it after I told him how much I paid for it. First, he criticized it for the small internal sdcard. I had to tell him that the ipad has the same amount of internal space. He then accused the battery of not lasting long enough. I had to tell him that actually it's right up there with the ipad. He then picked it up and said it was too heavy. I told him that it only weighed .22 lb more than the ipad. Not to be outdone, he claimed that .22 was too much more than his ipad. He then said it must be really really slow. I brought it over to him and showed him that it was running just as fast as his ipad. He started playing with it and then he said "aha, it doesn't have 3g."
The point is he had never seen the gtab before. Actually, he had never heard of it before. Yet, he didn't like it at all. It was obvious he was desperately looking for reasons not to like it.
I did notice that even though he was looking for every reason to criticize it he never noticed the screen being "bad". So, obviously the gtab screen isn't really that bad. People online who are bashing this device describing the screen as the worst thing ever to have existed (or something like that) are just exaggerating because they are looking for a reason to bash the device.
It's no different than a typical netbook or laptop screen. Why the bloody hell is it a life and death issue all the sudden?
goodintentions said:
It's no different than a typical netbook or laptop screen. Why the bloody hell is it a life and death issue all the sudden?
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Because with a netbook / laptop screen, you are looking at it at the same angle 90% of the time. A tablet is a different animal - you have it flat on your desk, or in portrait mode reading a book, or moving it around if you're playing a game. It's not at the same landscape mode / angle all the time. Completely different device.
Here's a perfect example: I was playing that evil and life-draining game Angry Birds earlier today. On my Xoom tablet, I have a tendency to play it where the screen is leaning back slightly on my palm, as that's comfortable for one handed play. Screen is fine. But on the GTAB, when I play it that way the screen solarization can be seen - I have to force it to be more spot-on to my line of sight, but that's not as comfortable in my hand.
That's the difference, and why it's not really that noticeable until you really start using it day-to-day for a long period of time.
Don't get me wrong. I notice it, too. It just doesn't bother me like it supposedly bother other people. But then again, I was born in a house with a dirt floor and grew up with a 4 inch black and white tv, so I guess my standards aren't as high as yours.
Thanks for the link to the comparison roebeet. I think I can live with that. One of my (major) pet peeves is having a co-worker peer over at what I'm doing, makes me want to do a Three Stooges eyepoke. This should actually work in my favor as:
1) I won't have to outen some nosy body's eyes when I check msgs
2) Will probably save my job and/or a lawsuit one day (see #1)
Still excited and bouncing in anticipation LOL it's been ages since I've played around with mods on a device. Really looking forward to it
Metal_in_Silk said:
Still excited and bouncing in anticipation LOL it's been ages since I've played around with mods on a device. Really looking forward to it
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Just ordered mine, in the same boat as you Tigerdirect the estimated arrive date as the 29th, but Memphis tends to get things a little quicker *fingers crossed*
goodintentions said:
Don't get me wrong. I notice it, too. It just doesn't bother me like it supposedly bother other people. But then again, I was born in a house with a dirt floor and grew up with a 4 inch black and white tv, so I guess my standards aren't as high as yours.
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In my house, my kids call me "the cheapskate". I set new lows for standards.
And at least you had a TV - I used to make dioramas with cartoon cutouts in them to make my own cartoon shows. And I liked it!
dfin13 said:
Just ordered mine, in the same boat as you Tigerdirect the estimated arrive date as the 29th, but Memphis tends to get things a little quicker *fingers crossed*
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Lucky you! You'll be modding and playing Angry Birds while I'm still waiting on a shipment confirmation
Srsly, this is gonna be some fun. The screen doesn't suck as bad as I thought it would and playing with the various mods will be a very welcome distraction from doing ppls taxes
roebeet said:
In my house, my kids call me "the cheapskate". I set new lows for standards.
And at least you had a TV - I used to make diarrheas with cartoon cutouts in them to make my own cartoon shows. And I liked it!
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Now THAT was an interesting mental image
dfin13 said:
Thanks for the comparison pictures -- that was a great service to those of us on the fence The viewing angle issue, while noticeable, now seems tolerable to me. I'm torn between grabbing a Xoom tomorrow or ordering a G-tab from Tigerdirect tonight (kicking myself for being such a wuss and not getting it from Woot...). Aside from the screen, my biggest concern is that the G-tab will never get Honeycomb, and if it does, whether or not the lower resolution will make it incompatible with tablet apps. I love Android, but I don't want to use the tablet as an oversized phoneless phone for too long.
Decisions, decisions ...
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When I played with the xoom up close I noticed the bad viewing angles too. At that price unacceptable but at the price of the g tab understable they already gave you quite a lot for little money, costs had to be cut somewhere. Xoom should be top notch. I started to buy it until I saw the viewing angles and build. The SmartQ awesome. I actually need another tab for work with a different operating system but did not find the ipad engaging enough. I hate the slow rate of trickle with these tabs.
Looking at the last picture unless they were swapped the xoom looked washed out to me. SmartQ held it's own in every picture.
Metal_in_Silk said:
Now THAT was an interesting mental image
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Darn spell check screwed up. But maybe I should have left it - it was a more interesting response!
edirector said:
When I played with the xoom up close I noticed the bad viewing angles too. At that price unacceptable but at the price of the g tab understable they already gave you quite a lot for little money, costs had to be cut somewhere. Xoom should be top notch. I started to buy it until I saw the viewing angles and build. The SmartQ awesome. I actually need another tab for work with a different operating system but did not find the ipad engaging enough. I hate the slow rate of trickle with these tabs.
Looking at the last picture unless they were swapped the xoom looked washed out to me. SmartQ held it's own in every picture.
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Yeah, it's a bit washed out once the angles go past a certain point - I think it's just the nature of a TFT screen and probably can't be avoided. But slight angles (which you can't really see in those pics) are very good on the Xoom.
And x2 on the GTAB comment. At less than half price, it's still a bargain. We don't have HC either, but that's something that's potentially fixable, at least.
As for the SmartQ R10, the angles are great but it's a slow-as-molasses device (Telechips CPU with Android 2.1, only) - works fine as a cbz reader, however. What I'm still waiting for is an IPS screen paired with a Tegra 2 chipset. They are coming this year, allegedly.
First off, I went to Best Buy the other day to check out some tablets. I'm visiting my grandmother, and I think I have convinced her that a Nexus 7 would be a great buy (since when does a 72 year old woman need storage space and a rear camera?). She actually like the 10 inch size better, and also the dock, but doesn't like the price (go figure). But this gave me a chance to look at the TF201 and 300, and the TF201 dock. Both ran very smooth, I didn't seem to notice any issues on either one (I didn't get a chance to test I/O of course). Now, the Best Buy back at home only had the 300 on display, without the dock. This store was much larger in comparison, and had the dock, so I decided to unplug the Prime and toss it into the dock. The stand the dock was on was uncomfortable, so I couldn't get a really good gauge of it, but I could say that I thought that the keys were pretty well placed for the size, and that it seemed like it will be somewhat enjoyable to use the tablet in that fashion.
This further brought on my desire to buy the TF700. My grandmother walked over and looked at the iPad (and instantly saw $700 and walked away), but also pointed out that the screen was beautiful. She obviously has no brand loyalty, so I didn't care too much...but after looking at that screen, made the TF201 screen look pretty poor. the TF700 will be much better (not quite Retina, but I don't want that kind of ridiculous resolution and extra strain), so I know I will be quite happy with it.
Any thoughts from anyone else (especially from those with the tablet already)? Does the dock feel comfortable? Is the screen just that much better than the TF201? Is this a good purchase?
KilerG said:
First off, I went to Best Buy the other day to check out some tablets. I'm visiting my grandmother, and I think I have convinced her that a Nexus 7 would be a great buy (since when does a 72 year old woman need storage space and a rear camera?). She actually like the 10 inch size better, and also the dock, but doesn't like the price (go figure). But this gave me a chance to look at the TF201 and 300, and the TF201 dock. Both ran very smooth, I didn't seem to notice any issues on either one (I didn't get a chance to test I/O of course). Now, the Best Buy back at home only had the 300 on display, without the dock. This store was much larger in comparison, and had the dock, so I decided to unplug the Prime and toss it into the dock. The stand the dock was on was uncomfortable, so I couldn't get a really good gauge of it, but I could say that I thought that the keys were pretty well placed for the size, and that it seemed like it will be somewhat enjoyable to use the tablet in that fashion.
This further brought on my desire to buy the TF700. My grandmother walked over and looked at the iPad (and instantly saw $700 and walked away), but also pointed out that the screen was beautiful. She obviously has no brand loyalty, so I didn't care too much...but after looking at that screen, made the TF201 screen look pretty poor. the TF700 will be much better (not quite Retina, but I don't want that kind of ridiculous resolution and extra strain), so I know I will be quite happy with it.
Any thoughts from anyone else (especially from those with the tablet already)? Does the dock feel comfortable? Is the screen just that much better than the TF201? Is this a good purchase?
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It's a good purchase if and only when there's nothing to be complaint about.
Dock does give the user an extra option to protect screen and extend battery given its size it may not be as comfortable as the a laptop's keyboard but the metallic exterior does feel like ... something which is smooth and feels good to touch. In terms of the appearance IMO 7/10.
The screen doesn't appear attractive because:
1. Colors around incorrect. Black doesn't look black. White doesn't look as white as it should BE.
2. The X and Y pixel densities are 147 dpi short... if you own a SGS3 you'll know what I mean.
jdefi3ebuggdsf32 said:
It's a good purchase if and only when there's nothing to be complaint about.
Dock does give the user an extra option to protect screen and extend battery given its size it may not be as comfortable as the a laptop's keyboard but the metallic exterior does feel like ... something which is smooth and feels good to touch. In terms of the appearance IMO 7/10.
The screen doesn't appear attractive because:
1. Colors around incorrect. Black doesn't look black. White doesn't look as white as it should BE.
2. The X and Y pixel densities are 147 dpi short... if you own a SGS3 you'll know what I mean.
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Lol take a look at my Bionic and tell me if I care that much about color quality. I'm sure some software tweaks could help a bit with some of that actually, but the pixel densities are something that sucks to have worse...I guess it's like the Bionic for me...I'll have to look at the screen to judge if I like it or not.
Hey all,
I'm mulling over picking up a TF700 instead of a new laptop for working at home. Most of my work is with word documents or emails so software-wise it suits my needs and obviously is more flexible for relaxing with than a laptop.
My main concern is the quality and durability of the keyboard. I won't be spending all my time working on it, but might do a couple of hours on a weekend so the keyboard needs to be at least as good as a run-of-the-mill laptop keyboard.
The reviews iv read have been mixed on the keyboard, some saying its more suited to shorter bursts of activity but not really for extended stretches. Im not sure where Il be able to find an outlet to test the keyboard when its released so I'm trying to get current users' opinions.
Could someone share their experience so far and whether its likely to meet my needs?
Many thanks
BishopBlaize said:
Hey all,
I'm mulling over picking up a TF700 instead of a new laptop for working at home. Most of my work is with word documents or emails so software-wise it suits my needs and obviously is more flexible for relaxing with than a laptop.
My main concern is the quality and durability of the keyboard. I won't be spending all my time working on it, but might do a couple of hours on a weekend so the keyboard needs to be at least as good as a run-of-the-mill laptop keyboard.
The reviews iv read have been mixed on the keyboard, some saying its more suited to shorter bursts of activity but not really for extended stretches. Im not sure where Il be able to find an outlet to test the keyboard when its released so I'm trying to get current users' opinions.
Could someone share their experience so far and whether its likely to meet my needs?
Many thanks
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I like the keyboard very much, but for hours and hours on end?....... Nah. Not for larger files, reports, etc. Occasional e-mail, yes... forum posts, yes. Something resembling real work? No.
From what I've experienced with the tf300 keyboard (same product just different materials and hinge interface width) it's not perfect, but it still allows for fast and comfortable typing. It beats touchscreen typing by a long shot. It also comes in handy if your sitting in a recliner because it keeps the tablet upright without having to hold it.
As far as quality goes, the touchpad seems kind of cheap, and the material scratches easily, but the hinge is solid metal and the latch is pretty strong and shouldn't give you trouble.
I wouldn't say its as good as a laptop keyboard though simply because it's much smaller.
rightonred said:
From what I've experienced with the tf300 keyboard (same product just different materials and hinge interface width) it's not perfect, but it still allows for fast and comfortable typing. It beats touchscreen typing by a long shot. It also comes in handy if your sitting in a recliner because it keeps the tablet upright without having to hold it.
As far as quality goes, the touchpad seems kind of cheap, and the material scratches easily, but the hinge is solid metal and the latch is pretty strong and shouldn't give you trouble.
I wouldn't say its as good as a laptop keyboard though simply because it's much smaller.
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Well it depends...did you want a laptop (which is on average 15") or a netbook (10")? The Infinity is basically the size of a small netbook when plugged into the dock, so obviously the keys aren't going to be as large. That's the main difference I took away when I played with the TF201 dock. The keys seemed perfectly okay to type on, but the size might strain your fingers if you're working consistently for a few hours. I'd stick with a real keyboard (and you can plug in a bluetooth keyboard for a nicer, bigger keyboard if that's something you're into)
This has received terrible reviews, but I do like its form factor:
http://www.amazon.com/TOP®-Bluetoot...-3&keywords=bluetooth\+keyboard+for+galaxy+s5
Anybody use anything else?
Jake
jakfish said:
This has received terrible reviews, but I do like its form factor:
http://www.amazon.com/TOP®-Bluetoot...-3&keywords=bluetooth\+keyboard+for+galaxy+s5
Anybody use anything else?
Jake
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I don't know - the reviews aren't worth their time for the product. the description of the product itself is clearly ESL which doesn't build confidence about the budget they had in making this thing. However two of the 3 critical reviews are either irrelevant (doesn't fit his note 3... ) or unreliable. The one that specifies criticisms has such poor grammar as to be undecipherable in some places, but does point out the bulk and possibly poor hardware design of the case. I don't expect this thing to be thin, but it's ridiculous that the description and specs don't mention the actual SIZE of the product. It's weight is more than 10 oz though which is getting up there.... worrying for sure.
However the same reviewer also comments that the text you type is "perpendicular"... presumably he isn't aware of how to choose apps that can work in landscape or know enough about his phone to know how to enable rotation. So all in all we have one clear negative which is the bulk of the product.
I don't want a bulky keyboard/case either, but it may be a requisite since at least this keyboard has real buttons.
I wish people would talk about the keyboard feel/action (is it actually possible to type on (Despite the misaligned qwerty layout) or is it too hard to press fast... stuff like that).
I also wish the real dimensions were published.
So I do agree with you - I want something like that but with at least enough information to be worth spending $50 or more to get (After taxes/shipping/exchange rate etc as I'm in Canada). No way I'm throwing away that much money unless I know it's worth it.
For big bucks there is that new laser keyboard they keep promoting before movies in theatres LoL.... but (a) I expect it's super expensive and hard to find, and (b) can you imagine typing on anything LESS responsive than just a desktop surface without being able to feel key edges or motion??
Anyhow.... ideas would be welcome here.
---------- Post added at 12:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:48 PM ----------
ya know, honestly I'd rather have an unfold able bluetooth keyboard that reaches near full size and has decent action that I can put in my other pocket than deal with a crappy keyboard case only to have such a small keyboard as to be only marginally better than typing on the phone itself.
so a foldable full size qwerty keyboard that gets really small and thin for pocket carrying sounds ideal.
Is there such a thing (that doesn't cost $500)?
http://www.cellphoneshop.net/s5btokey.html
I ended up rolling the dice on this--it was 20usd/free shipping. Worth a look-see. And I think it's the same one so extravagantly priced on Amazon. It's on a slow boat from China, so fingers crossed. While waiting, I also went ahead and purchased/installed "External Keyboard Help Pro," an amazing app that allows full key/character customization of a bt keyboard. I set up the layout on a Ipad bt keyboard, but since the coding is unicode rather than hardcode, I'm hoping the layout/keystrokes will transfer successfully to the arriving mini keyboard.
I had forgotten the laser keyboard, but I'm with you: how good could can the form factor be?
If this thing ever gets here, I'll certainly post back my impressions. I do see that same keyboard kicking around on ebay for under 20usd, sans case, but I don't know if such ubiquity is good or bad.
Thanks for your thoughtful post,
Jake
I've had a bluetooth keyboard for probably 18 months now... Got it on special for 5.99 GBP, made by Xenta.. It is not attached to the phone but I keep it in my work rucksack, along with a bluetooth mouse. The only downside about it for me is that the buttons are rubberised. IF the buttons were more like a blackberry this keyboard would be ace - but you do need to sit the phone somewhere so you can type using the keyboard. A plus is that I can use this keyboard with any device that accepts bluetooth keyboards, hence it has been paired with my HTC One X+, Samsung Note 3 and S5.
6 Pounds - can't go wrong.
Here's a better one that says it has a mouse feature built in. http://www.ebuyer.com/247588-xenta-...keyboard-with-mouse-touchpad-2-4ghz-rf240-50k
Rubberized keys seem to be a complaint about other brands of keyboards as well--it must be the cheapest way to make them sell for 6 Pounds
My en route keyboard is also rubberized. Should be an adventure in qwerty.
The mousepad from your link's model draws complaints--I had a vague little optical mousepad on my Sidekick 4G that would freak out in sunlight. It's hard to make these things both cheap and good.
I'm most interested in whether the contraption will a) fit in a front pocket of jeans b) be useful as a phone when it sits in the case
Jake
This is why OEMs should look into hardware keyboards again. This is what made the original G1 great.
Sent from my toaster
The keyboard/case arrived and for 20 bucks, I have no complaints. It paired right away and afterwards, when bt is enabled on the S5 and the keyboard is turned on, it connects fast and without problem.
As for the keyboard itself, it ain't no HP Jornada 720 or any other handheld computer. The keys are rubberized and own a certain mushiness and obviously, it's a smaller layout than any h/pc.
If this analogy rings a bell with anybody, I would compare usability to the Psion Revo keyboard. The tactile sense b/w the two is literally hard and soft, but their sizes are similar and the typing vs mistakes is roughly equal for both the Psion and this.
The phone casement is velcro-ed and to enable a quasi laptop mode, you loosen the phone's bottom half to set it at a slight angle.
The External Keyboard Helper Pro saves the day: I programmed a second Shift key, key-mapped many punctuation alternatives (mostly smart quotes, etc), key-stroked apps (e.g. alt-w = word processor). Everything was done without root.
You can tell by its thickness that the case/keyboard/phone will not fit into a jeans' front pocket, which is where I like to carry my S5. I would imagine it would fit into the front pocket of dress pants, but noticeably so.
Wish me luck posting these pictures,
Jake
I ordered the Tab S as a replacement for my Kindle Paperwhite. Although the price difference is nontrivial, I realized a tablet would probably make a better e-reader for me than the Paperwhite does. So after a lot of research and comparison, I decided the Tab S (while not-cheap) is the overall best tablet out at the present moment.
Most of the covers I've looked at are foldable and thus seem to be aimed at those who would want to prop the tablet up on a flat surface at varying angles. But I see myself laying on the couch, or curled up in bed sideways.
I like the case that I have on my Paperwhite (I attached it because I'm not allowed to link). It distinctly makes it more book-like to hold. I'm not one of those purists that I feels the need to imitate the book-reading experience, but it does seem to be fairly ergonomic. I'm worried about the "flaps" of the Tab S cases I've seen making it difficult to hold in the same way, which I feel like is something I've experienced with iPad covers of a similar design.
I'm not necessarily looking for a replica of the aforementioned cover. I guess I'd like to hear from people who have a case and if they feel that it's comfortable for the kind of horizontal e-reading that I'm describing, or what other options there might be.
I guess I'm talking to myself here, but for now I'm going with the "FYY® Ultra Slim Magnetic Smart Cover Case" that I found on Amazon.
It's under $6, which actually kind of worries me, but it looks like what I would want.
I considered the official Samsung case, but I like the design of this more -- being book-like but also having viewing angles, and not leaving the bezel exposed -- and it's significantly cheaper. It's not that the Samsung case is expensive, I just don't see how the price is justified for what you get. I've seen it for as low as $45, but I feel like $30 is the most I'd ever spend on it, and even that's a stretch.
At least with this one, if it turns out to be junk, I only lost $6. I'll probably go for the Samsung cover if this doesn't work out.
Self-replying again. (The reason I bother is so maybe people Googling something on this topic will find my posts.)
This is a pretty good case. It's aesthetically pleasing, minus the FYY logo on the front. I like that it protects the bezel and has a magnetic closure.
The solid front cover makes it more book-like to hold, but you can still prop the tablet up at 3 different viewing angles.
It looks and feels somewhat cheap in the hands, but at the price point $6 there's not a lot of room to complain.
Sadly, the tablet being somewhat tall, holding it one-handed from the bottom of the cover is kind of awkward. Due to the weight and height of the tablet, he only thing stopping it from doing a backflip out of my hand is my thumb holding it down. This puts a lot of stress on one's thumb and would probably contribute to fatigue over time. Additionally, given the fairly small bezel, you don't have a lot of room to put your thumb to begin with. This is something that one doesn't experience with the Kindle Paperwhite, since it's lighter, more square, and has a huge bezel (probably intentionally).
My biggest problems with the Kindle Paperwhite were that it supports limited formats (no epub support??? come the heck on), taking notes with it sucks due to the screen's low sensitivity and responsiveness, and I feel limited to using the Kindle store. The lack of formats makes it feel like. So I wanted something that would allow me to use any format or any vendor, as well as take notes with whichever keyboard I choose, on a display that is visually responsive. I factored weight into my decision.
I knew the Tab S would be heavier but I didn't think it would be too heavy. I'm imagining how painful it would be if I were reading while on my back and accidentally dropped the tablet on my face. The Tab S is also the lightest and thinnest tablet of its size. In fact, the Nexus 7 is 1g heavier. So it doesn't really get much lighter than this. A 7in tablet might have better weight distribution for the purpose of reading though.
The Kindle software on Android is great, though (and if it wasn't, I can always use Google Play Books) which is how my tablet-search started.
All in all I think this experiment shows the Tab S is not for me.
I'm using the book cover as I like the option of a stand for videos. When holding in portrait you can fold back the magnetic part of the flap and then hold like a book. It is nice and firm just like the paperwhite cover.
There's also the simple cover if you don't need the angled stand.
Leonart said:
Self-replying again. (The reason I bother is so maybe people Googling something on this topic will find my posts.)
This is a pretty good case. It's aesthetically pleasing, minus the FYY logo on the front. I like that it protects the bezel and has a magnetic closure.
The solid front cover makes it more book-like to hold, but you can still prop the tablet up at 3 different viewing angles.
It looks and feels somewhat cheap in the hands, but at the price point $6 there's not a lot of room to complain.
Sadly, the tablet being somewhat tall, holding it one-handed from the bottom of the cover is kind of awkward. Due to the weight and height of the tablet, he only thing stopping it from doing a backflip out of my hand is my thumb holding it down. This puts a lot of stress on one's thumb and would probably contribute to fatigue over time. Additionally, given the fairly small bezel, you don't have a lot of room to put your thumb to begin with. This is something that one doesn't experience with the Kindle Paperwhite, since it's lighter, more square, and has a huge bezel (probably intentionally).
My biggest problems with the Kindle Paperwhite were that it supports limited formats (no epub support??? come the heck on), taking notes with it sucks due to the screen's low sensitivity and responsiveness, and I feel limited to using the Kindle store. The lack of formats makes it feel like. So I wanted something that would allow me to use any format or any vendor, as well as take notes with whichever keyboard I choose, on a display that is visually responsive. I factored weight into my decision.
I knew the Tab S would be heavier but I didn't think it would be too heavy. I'm imagining how painful it would be if I were reading while on my back and accidentally dropped the tablet on my face. The Tab S is also the lightest and thinnest tablet of its size. In fact, the Nexus 7 is 1g heavier. So it doesn't really get much lighter than this. A 7in tablet might have better weight distribution for the purpose of reading though.
The Kindle software on Android is great, though (and if it wasn't, I can always use Google Play Books) which is how my tablet-search started.
All in all I think this experiment shows the Tab S is not for me.
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I share your concerns...have you taken a look at the just announced Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact? It's an 8 inch tablet and weighs 270 grams....(not sure, but the wifi-only version might even be just 260 grams). Besides, the Huawei MediaPad X1 is a very competent 7 incher that weighs 239 grams, although not sure if it's simple to grab one of those.
guga124 said:
I share your concerns...have you taking a look at the just announced Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact? It's an 8 inch tablet and weighs 270 grams....(not sure, but the wifi-only version might even be just 260 grams). Besides, the Huawei MediaPad X1 is a very competent 7 incher that weighs 239 grams, although not sure if it's simple to grab one of those.
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Sad thing is I don't think any tablet can manage to be as light as the Kindle Paperwhite, which weighs 170g. I will check out those devices, though; thanks for your suggestions.
I also think weight distribution is playing a role. Because the Tab S is so tall and skinny, it wants to tip out of your hand when holding it from the bottom. The Kindle Paperwhite display is almost 4:3 where as the Tab is 16:10. Since the Paperwhite device is closer to square, I believe that the weight is more evenly distributed in the palm of your hand. But it's also not as big or heavy overall, so that probably plays a more important role.
I have the book cove from samsaung and it is great based on quality and different angles it offers.
But I have a question for you all, How are you holding the tablet in portrait mode.. I always have my palm pressing the back or multitask button.. IT is such a ache..
Any suggestion please how to hold or avoid such issues while being comfortable.
Any app to disable those buttons etc..
Leonart said:
I ordered the Tab S as a replacement for my Kindle Paperwhite. Although the price difference is nontrivial, I realized a tablet would probably make a better e-reader for me than the Paperwhite does. So after a lot of research and comparison, I decided the Tab S (while not-cheap) is the overall best tablet out at the present moment.
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Hi Leonart,
why are you replacing the Paperwhite?
I do own them both.. but I would never replace the comfort of reading on the paperwhite (or any self illuminating e-ink readers).
I love the SuperAMOLED screen on the tab S but it performs poorly in bright sun light compared to the e-ink screen.
Anyway I do own the 10.5 version and I agree that it would be impossible to use it in bed to read ebooks.
Cheers
dREI
drei666 said:
Hi Leonart,
why are you replacing the Paperwhite?
I do own them both.. but I would never replace the comfort of reading on the paperwhite (or any self illuminating e-ink readers).
I love the SuperAMOLED screen on the tab S but it performs poorly in bright sun light compared to the e-ink screen.
Anyway I do own the 10.5 version and I agree that it would be impossible to use it in bed to read ebooks.
Cheers
dREI
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Click to collapse
There's several things I dislike about the Paperwhite. It's great for reading, but all of the functions around reading aren't that great in my opinion.
One thing that I hate trying to do with the Paperwhite is take notes. On a tablet, I can swipe, and the keyboard is responsive, and it's learned words in my personal vocabulary, and so on. On the Paperwhite, the keyboard and display is not as responsive, I have to type each letter, the screen sensitivity isn't amazing, and I just find typing on it to be a chore.
The other thing that bugs me is it doesn't support epub, which is just absurd. I know I can do a conversion in Calibre, but I also shouldn't have to. Google Play Books, Nook, iBooks, all support epub. And they should, it's an open format.
Overall, the Kindle isn't very friendly to books acquired outside of the Kindle store. For example, if I upload an epub to Google Play books, I can access that book from any device. Also, if I take notes in that book on the Kindle, those notes aren't synced. Google Play Books will also sync my notes across to devices, even with books that I uploaded instead of bought.
Sometimes the Kindle version of a book is inferior to the versions from other stores. For example, a book I just finished had an irregularly sized right margin on the Kindle store, so the entire book was off-center. This is something that a person less OCD than I could probably just ignore, but the same book on Google Play Books didn't have this problem. So I ended up buying it from there.
There's also PDF support, which the Android version of Kindle has but the eReader obviously doesn't. I don't want to read PDF if I can avoid it, but for certain books, you can't avoid it.
Overall, a tablet gives me more options on where I get my books and how I read them. I can get them from Google Play Books, Amazon, Nook, or any other merchant. Taking notes, highlighting, looking up words or locations, is much easier, and more responsive and interactive. I can use the full Android Goodreads app rather than the severely stripped down version on the Paperwhite, or, hell, I can just go to goodreads.com in the browser.
The Paperwhite's main advantages over a tablet are that it's extremely light, a perfect size of reading, has a long battery life, and is readable in all lighting conditions, and is cheaper than just about any decent/current tablet. But I feel like I'm locked into Kindle's ecosystem, which makes the Paperwhite feel more like a $120 cable box than an eReader in its own right. The lack of epub support in the year 2014 is the biggest indication that they really want you to buy all your books from the Kindle store...I don't like that. A tablet has its own drawbacks, like weight, but it's much more versatile.
I guess it depends on what's important to you.
Leonart said:
There's several things I dislike about the Paperwhite. It's great for reading, but all of the functions around reading aren't that great in my opinion.
One thing that I hate trying to do with the Paperwhite is take notes. On a tablet, I can swipe, and the keyboard is responsive, and it's learned words in my personal vocabulary, and so on. On the Paperwhite, the keyboard and display is not as responsive, I have to type each letter, the screen sensitivity isn't amazing, and I just find typing on it to be a chore.
The other thing that bugs me is it doesn't support epub, which is just absurd. I know I can do a conversion in Calibre, but I also shouldn't have to. Google Play Books, Nook, iBooks, all support epub. And they should, it's an open format.
Overall, the Kindle isn't very friendly to books acquired outside of the Kindle store. For example, if I upload an epub to Google Play books, I can access that book from any device. Also, if I take notes in that book on the Kindle, those notes aren't synced. Google Play Books will also sync my notes across to devices, even with books that I uploaded instead of bought.
Sometimes the Kindle version of a book is inferior to the versions from other stores. For example, a book I just finished had an irregularly sized right margin on the Kindle store, so the entire book was off-center. This is something that a person less OCD than I could probably just ignore, but the same book on Google Play Books didn't have this problem. So I ended up buying it from there.
There's also PDF support, which the Android version of Kindle has but the eReader obviously doesn't. I don't want to read PDF if I can avoid it, but for certain books, you can't avoid it.
Overall, a tablet gives me more options on where I get my books and how I read them. I can get them from Google Play Books, Amazon, Nook, or any other merchant. Taking notes, highlighting, looking up words or locations, is much easier, and more responsive and interactive. I can use the full Android Goodreads app rather than the severely stripped down version on the Paperwhite, or, hell, I can just go to goodreads.com in the browser.
The Paperwhite's main advantages over a tablet are that it's extremely light, a perfect size of reading, has a long battery life, and is readable in all lighting conditions, and is cheaper than just about any decent/current tablet. But I feel like I'm locked into Kindle's ecosystem, which makes the Paperwhite feel more like a $120 cable box than an eReader in its own right. The lack of epub support in the year 2014 is the biggest indication that they really want you to buy all your books from the Kindle store...I don't like that. A tablet has its own drawbacks, like weight, but it's much more versatile.
I guess it depends on what's important to you.
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Click to collapse
I agree, my needs are quite different.. i do not take notes and i rarely use the search function.
I do rely on Calibre for my format conversion, as I mostly own only epub files, like the rest of the world. ..
I know, it is a pain. .. but I did a jailbreak and now I work almost entirely with kindle collections created in Calibre.
I almost read only SF, and lots of it
dREI