The only area I see Android tablets selling is the mid range ($150-$300) where most of the devices are heavily subsidized by the oem - tablets like Kindle Fire, Nexus 7, Nook Color etc. And Apple will soon enter this segment too.
On the high end, Apple has massive economies of scale. There is simply no way for other oem's to get the same part pricing and compete with a $499 iPad Retina or $399 iPad 2. All the Xooms, Galaxy Tab's and Transformer's have terrible sales. There will soon be a new competitor in Surface.
On the low end, there are a number of cheap Chinese tablets in the ~$100 price range which aren't really competitive.
It doesn't help that Google totally ignores tablets. The Play Store has no section for tablets, its hard to find apps, and developers have completely ignored Android tablets as well (due to low sales). Every day the situation is getting worse.
I just googled this question
Seems like there is never going to be a large market for a mobile OS tablet.
We have the Nexus tablet coming soon that will address the issue of Google not doing much for tablets. The Kindle Fire has done well even though its heavily skinned. The iPad like other Apple products are sold at a higher price/margin since people believe that paying more for a popular brand means a better experience. Android tablets will have a hard time competing if they are sold at the same price as the iPad.
If Apple made a 7" tablet they would be going against Steve Jobs, the guy who helped bring that company back from near bankruptcy in the late 90s. Apple would have a hard time making a 7" tablet for $199 if they wanted to keep their high profit margins of around 50% on the iPad. Amazon sells the Kindle Fire right near cost as a media consumption device.
Yes.
I would say yes. ICS was created for a more diverse line of products and I think consumers will react well to a well priced ICS tablet. :laugh:
I've played around with my brothers Ipad a lot and after buying my transformer prime, I can't really imagine going back to an ipad if given the choice.
I think they will be successful but not until the shine wears off on the ipad.
I doubt that.. iPad is still you're best bet for everything you need for a good, all around tablet.. and the majority of people would choose the iPad instead..
The only way android tablet could succeed is on cheap alternatives.. the next Google tablet looks promising.. sure it won't make any profit for Google but at least they could gain market share..
Swyped from my GT-i9100
non standard is the issue for android tablet
samsung have proprietary ports for charging etc. Once they come up with a micro usb charger port Note tablet, definitely it will boost market.
iPad you cant copy from a camera or SD card, android you can do that .. companies are not exploiting these areas. They have to go in a similar standard phone like in mobiles. atleast 1080p etc.
I guess it all really depends on the end consumer.
I've seen a lot of people using tablets.
I'd personally only use one for taking notes in lectures though at school.
They seem fun
There is a section on the Market for tablets...
-----------------
- Swift -, formerly known as IrishStuff09
Lots of market segments to consider, and I know I don't represent the mass market. With that in mind - I've been on the fence about getting a tablet for the past several months, and I'm finally seeing more and more instances where it would make sense for me. I've spent time with a few Android tablets and with iPads. First impressions - iPad displays are gorgeous and the UI is incredibly smooth and lag free. I tried a few Android tablets that had nice displays - just not quite as dramatically clean and crisp as the new iPad, and I also noticed some very minor stutter and hesitation as I swiped my way around the UI. Very subtle differences - but the iPads just generally felt a bit more polished.
I also found the iPad UI annoying after having been using ICS with Apex launcher on my Galaxy Nexus for 7 months. I love the flexibility of Android. If somebody gave me an iPad, I wouldn't throw it away...but I'd strongly consider selling it to get a high end Android tablet instead. Similarly -- maybe even more strongly -- I've looked at and tried numerous iPhones, but went happily with a Galaxy Nexus instead the week they became available on VzW. I'd make the same decision today. All the more reason for an Android tablet - same UI, same ecosystem, same apps, great synergy. But again - I probably represents a narrow segment of the market.
If we can really see $200 Android tablets that are smooth and well presented, I think they can definitely make a dent in the iPad market. The difference in price could be enough to sway a good chunk of the market.
I have big hopes for the nexus tablet. I don't know if the specs published on the web are true, but for that price the tablet is a gift lol. I'm really thinking in buying a tablet and the nexus 7 may be my choice. And if the price is good I'm sure it will cut a big slice from ipad's market share.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
I have a gtab 2 7" and it is successful for me in that it does everything I want and it was cheap. Most people that have tired it out really like the smaller size and like it, but it's not an iPad so they would never consider purchasing one. It is just the way it is for right now.
I'm not sure what it would take for an Android tab to be as successful as the iPad but I honestly don't think it will ever happen, at least in the mainstream.
ipads are cheaper than most Gtabs. For example, the new iPad costs a bit more than galaxy tab 7.7.
As a Flyer owner, my only gripe is that the amount of apps available for Android tablets pale in comparison to Apple. There never seemed to be a lot available for Honeycomb. Whether that changes under the ICS tablets is yet to be seen.
GrandAdmiral said:
As a Flyer owner, my only gripe is that the amount of apps available for Android tablets pale in comparison to Apple. There never seemed to be a lot available for Honeycomb. Whether that changes under the ICS tablets is yet to be seen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A lot of that has to do with the proportion of market share. Most Android devices are phones so most developers still only develop for phones. As apps are redesigned for ICS they play better with tablets I've noticed.
If 7" 16GB is $199 and 32GB $249 then in near future, 10" 16GB b/w $299 - $349 would be a terrific price :good:
Related
I'm about to buy my first tablet device and have the option of buying either the ipad or the viewsonic g-tab. Originally what i was going to do was buy the ipad and then sell it once a honeycomb tablet is released, but that changed after i read about the G-tab on here.
The number one reason for me wanting the ipad is the quality of the tablet optimized apps. Yes i know the android apps scale up nicely (my gf has a nook color that i rooted for her) but they're just not the same.
So if you guys were in my position what would you do? Get the ipad for now and wait for the honeycomb tablets to be released and then sell it ORRR get the g-tab now and sell that once the honeycomb tablets come out. The second choice im worried about the depreciation in value once the honeycomb tablets come out, the ipad not so much since the next ipad comes out in aprilish
I don't care about the price difference
and I want a tablet NOW like within the next 2 days
Im also kind of picky about screen quality. I dont care too much about viewing angles i just dont want a washed out screen (super amoled spoiled me lol)
If screen is your main concern then g-tablet wont fit your need when compared to ipad, for me after using it for a month I am liking it.
So you have to prioritize your needs, if you read this forum many of them said high about g-tablet except for the screen.
Guess it really depends on what apps are important to you. There aren't many tablet optimized apps currently for android but there will be once honeycomb comes out.
One important thing about the G Tab (or most android froyo tablets) is full web experience. For example, I never need to use the Facebook app since I can access the full facebook website just fine.
If you want it right away and don't have the time to tinker, ipad is your best choice.
geeter said:
If you want it right away and don't have the time to tinker, ipad is your best choice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have lots of time to tinker. If i do go for the g-tab im loading Cm7 on it right away ..i hate decisions
geeter said:
If you want it right away and don't have the time to tinker, ipad is your best choice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you will never need to use Flash... Gtab has flash now.
bobdude5 said:
I'm about to buy my first tablet device and have the option of buying either the ipad or the viewsonic g-tab. Originally what i was going to do was buy the ipad and then sell it once a honeycomb tablet is released, but that changed after i read about the G-tab on here.
The number one reason for me wanting the ipad is the quality of the tablet optimized apps. Yes i know the android apps scale up nicely (my gf has a nook color that i rooted for her) but they're just not the same.
So if you guys were in my position what would you do? Get the ipad for now and wait for the honeycomb tablets to be released and then sell it ORRR get the g-tab now and sell that once the honeycomb tablets come out. The second choice im worried about the depreciation in value once the honeycomb tablets come out, the ipad not so much since the next ipad comes out in aprilish
I don't care about the price difference
and I want a tablet NOW like within the next 2 days
Im also kind of picky about screen quality. I dont care too much about viewing angles i just dont want a washed out screen (super amoled spoiled me lol)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what you've specifically detailed, the iPad is more your speed. But otherwise there are too many variables that make it too close a call to recommend one over the other in your case.
iPad pros are optimized apps and a more streamlined experience as well as the obviously 'better' screen and the resale value.
GTablet pros over the iPad right now don't really fit into anything you've mentioned - and that is, that this is a more feature rich device, having a sdcard slot for expanded storage, a dual core cpu and better gpu than the iPad.
If I were in your shoes, how I see it is that the GTablet is an investment and something to look forward to tinkering with and upgrading now and when the software is available later on (possibly), not something to buy now and sell later. I doubt you'll get 80-90% the value of the G Tablet when you re-sell it.
The iPad would be a better purchase in your scenario, as something to use right now and then sell when this years tablets hit the market in early to mid 2011.
I already have both
For my personal use I have a Droid X phone and a gTab tablet. My job has given me "for work use" an iPhone 4 and an iPad.
For me with the use of VEGAn beta 5.1 and all of the tweaks I have been able to do on my gTab I get a lot of use out of it. I read digital magazines, play all sorts of games, surf all sorts of websites (with Flash and without) and watch all sorts of videos (both personally ripped or streams off of websites).
Plus, with my rooted Droid X, using Wireless Tether I can get unlimited 3G through my phone as a WiFi hotspot so I always have internet connectivity on my gTab for no additional monthly fees.
My work iPhone 4 cannot be used as a WiFi hotspot (yes it can be jailbroken but it doesn't belong to me). So my company pays for a data plan on my iPhone as well as paying a separate data plan fee for my iPad. If I had to pay out of my own pocket I wouldn't use the iDevices simply due to the extra monthly cost on top of paying more for the devices in the first place.
In the end, it's a matter of preference. Yes, the screen on the gTab leaves MUCH to be desired and the screen on the iPad is crisp and clear with way better veiwing angles. But I personally don't care so much about the veiwing angle issue on my gTab.
The only time I actually use my iPhone or iPad (in all honesty) is when I take the family out to eat and need to keep 2 little boys occupied so they don't make our time out a living hell. The Netflix app is only available on the iDevices and so I use them to show my kids either Shaun the Sheep (my 18 month old LOVES it) or a Batman/Superman animation (my 4 year old LOVES it).
So, like others have already said, if ease of use and screen quality is your main concern, go with the iPad. Or, get both.
I was facing the same discision and went with the G Tablet for now as it is built for the future. The Ipad will also be in my future but I will wait for the second generation of IPAD. The current IPAD is facing extinction and is running at the end of life cycle. Latest leaks say an announcement on the IPAD could come out at the end of this month.
Based on your requirements I would go for the iPAD 2 when it comes out. Unfortunately the G-Tablet is truly a 1st generation Android tablet... Its screen is horrible (useless Portrait, washed out or too dark if not at the right angle in Landscape), the OS is virtually unusable in its out of the box state, requires fairly high technical understanding and a ton of patience to get the custom ROMs working (for those of you say its easy.. yes it is when your technically inclined... If your my wife it would never happen)... Each ROM has a trade-off... Some are faster but unstable, some are stable and fast but have limited features, some just dont work!
Most simple games run but a good percentage of those do not fit the screen properly, most complex games just dont run or are unstable. Most applications run but a small percentage dont fit the screen properly.
All in all you buy the G-Tablet because your a geek, love to fiddle and cant wait for the next best thing... If your not a geek and have patience then in about 3-5 months there will be many good choices...
For sure the iPAD is must more mature... If want an out of the box experience its a no brainer...
I am not an apple fan boy or an android fan boy.. just a realist...
I do love my G-Tablet for what it is...
bobdude5 said:
I'm about to buy my first tablet device and have the option of buying either the ipad or the viewsonic g-tab. Originally what i was going to do was buy the ipad and then sell it once a honeycomb tablet is released, but that changed after i read about the G-tab on here.
The number one reason for me wanting the ipad is the quality of the tablet optimized apps. Yes i know the android apps scale up nicely (my gf has a nook color that i rooted for her) but they're just not the same.
So if you guys were in my position what would you do? Get the ipad for now and wait for the honeycomb tablets to be released and then sell it ORRR get the g-tab now and sell that once the honeycomb tablets come out. The second choice im worried about the depreciation in value once the honeycomb tablets come out, the ipad not so much since the next ipad comes out in aprilish
I don't care about the price difference
and I want a tablet NOW like within the next 2 days
Im also kind of picky about screen quality. I dont care too much about viewing angles i just dont want a washed out screen (super amoled spoiled me lol)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If even considering an iPad, you should wait. The update will be huge- if you like Apple stuff, of course.
"iPad2":
1. Dual core
2. Micros sd (about 90% likely)
3. Even better display than iPad (wow)
4. Front & back camera
5. Rumor of a 128gb version (no sure about that one)
I am glad I bought the gTablet, since paid $350 for it. There is a metric ton of great games and apps releasing for the iPad platform. I will probably buy one myself and give more time for Honeycomb at the app platform to mature for it. gTablet is a GREAT bridge.
Since you plan to sell whatever you buy once the new iPad hits, seems to me your best bet is to buy something second hand now. That way, you won't lose as much money when you turn around and sell a few months later.
bobdude5 said:
Im also kind of picky about screen quality. I dont care too much about viewing angles i just dont want a washed out screen (super amoled spoiled me lol)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
iPad, just because of that one sentence. The GTab screen is not washed out, but portrait mode is bad and the viewing angles are crapola (especially in portrait). The iPad has an IPS screen, which just blows the GTab screen away. It's a major difference between the two. I have an AMOLED screen on my Cowon S9, so I know what you're talking about.
If you are willing to wait a few months, more tablets should be released with IPS screens. And of course there's the Notion Ink Adam (if they actually ship today, and if the reviews are good). Plus the iPad 2 is coming out in April, so buying an iPad v1 now might not be the best idea.
Suggestion: Buy something that will hold back the instant gratification factor - I know that feeling and understand it quite well. Possibly an iPad v1 with the understanding that you'll probably lose about 15% of your money on the resale, as the bargain hunters wil be vying for v1's after the v2 comes out.
My other concern with the iPad is the walled garden factor - once you commit yourself to iOS, you are basically stuck with it. At least with a Gtab you have Android as the base and can move between vendors.
I had an iPad and sold it specifically to get my G-Tablet.
I loved the iPad but am really into tinkering - so the G-Tablet was more my speed. It's not perfect which is oddly what I kind of like about it.
If money is no object and you are just looking for a toy to use like a "normal person" I would probably just get the iPad.
festivus said:
Since you plan to sell whatever you buy once the new iPad hits, seems to me your best bet is to buy something second hand now. That way, you won't lose as much money when you turn around and sell a few months later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No not the new ipad lol. I want either the xoom or that unnamed toshiba honeycomb tablet but i have no idea when those are coming out. From what i've read the xoom is next month but thats mostly going to be a 3g/4g enabled version which i do not want. I am definitly going to jailbreak/root whichever one i get.
Where is the best place to get the g-tab? Sears, office depot? how much is it?
$399 sears and $379 office depot
If your going for the XOOM then you might as well get the iPAD... Android buyers want android due to openness.. other then that the iPAD is fare superior (at least for today - Later this year can be a different story)
Read here:
http://www.droid-life.com/2011/01/1...er-to-buy-elsewhere-if-they-want-custom-roms/
bobdude5 said:
No not the new ipad lol. I want either the xoom or that unnamed toshiba honeycomb tablet but i have no idea when those are coming out. From what i've read the xoom is next month but thats mostly going to be a 3g/4g enabled version which i do not want. I am definitly going to jailbreak/root whichever one i get.
Where is the best place to get the g-tab? Sears, office depot? how much is it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ipad vs Galaxy vs Gtab vs Matala vs Streak 5
Found this selection flow... very interesting
http://tablets.finerhosting.com/tablets.jpg
Depends on how you want to use the device.
Personally, I can't do the Apple walled garden thing.
If you can, then yeah, go for the ipad.
I found a new G-Tab for 350, no tax, no shipping on E-bay last week. Did the OTA update that came out late December. Installed the enhancement pack to which I added a Google contact syn apk. Did the market fix. I also use the paid version of ADW Launcher. Everything so far works great. At the college where I work all of the students are loaned iPads (and I am a previous 3GS owner). So I spend a fair time around the iOs devices. I will admit there is a certain amount of polish not found in Android. Having said that, my web experience is far superior to the iPad, and since that is primarily what I got it for I feel it was a better purchase.
Slightly better specs, and only an extra $400! I'm happy with my gtab.
VERIZON is also disabling wifi unless you buy a minimum of one month of subscription service. That is a MAJOR turn off in my eyes and makes me sooooooo glad I got my gTab!!!!!
Sent from my GTablet-TnT-Lite using Tapatalk
I am certainly glad i picked up a g tab. $800 is a little much, and one month data on top of that is just greedy imo.
Sent from my VEGAn-TAB-v1.0.0B5.1 using Tapatalk
The gtab certainly works great for me. I'm looking forward to the ROM's that are sure to follow the Xoom's release though.
I feel like the market value of my g-tab just increased
Xoom scored 1823 in quadrant
Lulz.
*Yes, I know it has higher screen res
first i would like to correct the people saying that $800 is a little much. you're incorrect. its way too much. a price point around $500 would make this device a hit.
the specs are a bit better. but enough to make someone want to spend an extra 400 bucks? i believe it will sell well to apple haters that want a tablet and aren't aware there are android tablets outside the galaxy tab and xoom.
viewsonic could make a killing if they would announce the g tablet was going to get honeycomb on a specific date. that would be enough to bring a lot of customers.
http://www.techtree.com/India/News/...t_800_Launching_on_Feb_24/551-114391-893.html
Umm ....Yeah. Now I'm glad I bought 3 G Tablets. I was thinkin, 499.00- 599.00...Maybe I can justify that. But 8 bills? gonna save my money and put it towards the BIONIC instead.
Tickled pink w/ my GTab's
$800 gets you a better hires screen, 32gb storage, 1gb ram, and 3g/gps. If we look at the various versions of the ipad, and how much the other configurations add on to it, I would imagine it would be similar for gtablet/xoom if it had other configurations.
If there was a xoom hardware version that is truly equivalent to the gtablet, it would come down to this:
$800 for current xoom
-100 for 16gb less storage
-130 for no 3g/gps
-50 for 512mb less ram (i'm guessing on this one)
=$520
This number sounds more reasonable, I just wish they would come out with more options similar to what we get for the iPad.
I'm looking forward to the toshiba tablet assuming the price is right, one thing I like most about it is FULL SD card (no more micro sd card crap) meaning cheaper and larger storage options. It also has a user replaceable battery.
http://www.thetoshibatablet.com/
no way
well i was waiting for the xoom, i was gonna get it based on the first rumor of feb 17th release date and $699. but now no way especially since wifi comes disabled, thats so lowbrow and nickle and dime the consumer to death. looks like ill just go get a gtab now. seems like everyones happy with theirs.
I refuse to buy any tablet or device crippled by someone unless I take their appendages in my orifices. Don't support these bastages if you ever want to see this crappy business practice stop(not that it will, but I'd die before I support it).
When nobody buys the thing expect this price to drop...fast. Manufacturers need to realize most people aren't using their tablets walking down the street, all we want is wifi!
Drop a wifi only for 500 and it will sell. I'm still a firm believer that the average consumer won't bite at $800, and would rather buy a new laptop for just a little more. Not to mention the ipad can be cheaper and has more name recognition.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
Agreed. If someone has $800 to drop on this and extra $20 may not appear to be such a big deal IF it didn't smack of extortion. Look at the HP Slate that rolled out at a similiar price point geared toward the business community. Not sure how that did but one doesn't hear much about it these days. Now if the XOOM was a dual-boot (Honeycomb/Win7) I for one might, MIGHT, be tempted. And as long as the Win7 flavor was better than Win7 Starter.
Just my 2 cents
Very sad
I think it's overpriced. The specs are good, but I don't see how they arrived at that absurd price. And it's very, very sad Google chose Motorola to feature Honeycomb! I'll just sit and wait the gtab devs release their version of Honey in the near future.
abstrusius said:
I think it's overpriced. The specs are good, but I don't see how they arrived at that absurd price. And it's very, very sad Google chose Motorola to feature Honeycomb! I'll just sit and wait the gtab devs release their version of Honey in the near future.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sure the 3G components (and Verizon) had alot to do with driving up the price. Plus if they are launching the first tablet that officially competes head to head with the iPad, I think there is alot of, for the lack of a better word, snobbishness out there whereby some folks in the market for an iPad wouldn't consider an alternative if it was significantly cheaper - I know, sounds counter-intuitive but I've heard it from enough people to believe it actually is a factor. If its alot cheaper, it must also be a physically cheaper product and therefore inferior to the mighty iPad.
I'll just wait until its released so somebody can figure out how to get honeycomb off it and let the ports flow.
So sixvolt you raise a question for me. I'm no stranger to development (being in the field) and I've played with the android SDKs before as well as compiling various linux kernels (never an android kernel though). Is it currently possible to produce a working rom from the honeycomb SDK? Or is there something that I am missing here? How was this achieved on the nook?
I heard LG may be right behind at a much lower cost.... Im betting on that tablet right now... Motorola I am writing off as if I were someone looking for an amazing tablet in that price range with tons of developers and applications - why wouldn't I just buy an iPAD (or actually just wait for the iPAD 2).
The differentiating factor to apple has been its openness and most importantly the price. Most consumers dont care about the geek factor ("openness") as long as they can start playing at a reasonable price... the Xoom just is NOT that... I say it will be as good with consumers as the Galaxy Tab was which in all tense and purposes was a flop (technically ever android tablet has been a flop if we were to compare its sales to its competitors)..
I think Android 3.0 definitely has a very very strong chance of overtaking the iPAD - especially since Google has confirmed that all 2.x applications should work on 3.0 BUT only if these devices come in at reasonable pricing. If not - even I would potentially jump ship to just have a mature platform.
I personally like fiddling but fiddling only goes so far once you realize that you cant get work done... Right now the GTablet is a great fiddler -but honestly with the corruption (ie force closes of the core, reboots when in sleep) , battery life and very poor viewing angles I just cant use it for prime time work. I truely am hopping for a great competitor to the iPAD... lets hope and see..
Misprint?
I think this may be a misprint. Should say plan activation required to receive data. The $20.00 a month 1 gig plan is the same that was offered with the Galaxy Tab. Don't forget the activation fee of $30.00 or was it $35.00.
$800.00 is allot for a gimped lap tap, but compare the price to the top ipad and it seems what the market will bear.
Personally, after using a tablet for awhile now, I'm coming to my senses. The premium for their portability is too steep considering the limitations that a tablet has compared to a laptop. I would not spend $800.00 for any tablet. I would consider this unit in the $500.00 to 600.00 dollar range, but that would be driven more by want than an actual use for it.
This does seem like a steep price but we also need to remember this is the first heavily marketed Android tablet and is also running Honeycomb. This will be no different than any other overpriced handheld device, they demand a high price tag initially with no competition, but we all know the slew of tablets that are about to be released this year. I give them 15-20 days at this price point before competition/lack of sales drive them down.
Early June I bought my TF300T thinking it was pretty much the best android tablet (in my price range, at that moment) on the market.
I loved it to death for about a week.
Now I barely look at it. It's just so boring. I can't seem to find more than 3 apps that really interest me and it's too big to use as an ereader.
It doesn't seem worth the trouble to root it (I've rooted plenty of android devices before btw).
It's to the point I've put it in a drawer and only take it out when I feel like playing droidwords and honestly I've been pondering buying an iPad 3 since I know ios like the back of my hand due to working with so many apple items and their software,and I really want to see just what I can do with the UI of the iPad (graphics wise) as I've pretty much redesigned my iPhone. Plus I feel like atm the apple appstore is burying the google play market in terms of general app quality (especially when it comes to games and productivity apps). I mean there are just so many apps I love on my iPhone that I would adore having on an iPad and the Transformer just isn't holding up to that.
Are there any ways I can really spice up my Transformer? I feel bad buying a brand new tablet and then wanting to replace it so quickly (especially since I bought it with money from graduation from my dear old mom as her "gift" to me).
What are some apps you would suggest?
Symberlei said:
Early June I bought my TF300T thinking it was pretty much the best android tablet (in my price range, at that moment) on the market.
I loved it to death for about a week.
Now I barely look at it. It's just so boring. I can't seem to find more than 3 apps that really interest me and it's too big to use as an ereader.
It doesn't seem worth the trouble to root it (I've rooted plenty of android devices before btw).
It's to the point I've put it in a drawer and only take it out when I feel like playing droidwords and honestly I've been pondering buying an iPad 3 since I know ios like the back of my hand due to working with so many apple items and their software,and I really want to see just what I can do with the UI of the iPad (graphics wise) as I've pretty much redesigned my iPhone. Plus I feel like atm the apple appstore is burying the google play market in terms of general app quality (especially when it comes to games and productivity apps). I mean there are just so many apps I love on my iPhone that I would adore having on an iPad and the Transformer just isn't holding up to that.
Are there any ways I can really spice up my Transformer? I feel bad buying a brand new tablet and then wanting to replace it so quickly (especially since I bought it with money from graduation from my dear old mom as her "gift" to me).
What are some apps you would suggest?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol This forum name can be deceiving, its for the TF101 you'll get better replies in the TF300 forum
Think Nvidia will ever create another one? Shield tablet. I hope so! I do enjoy my K1
I doubt it they don't seem interested in maintaining competition with tablet makers. There was a comment made by a high up member at Nvidia that they were not interested in what they view as a dying market.
Nvidia had once a phone..
Either way, their chips are top notch.
mirrin said:
I doubt it they don't seem interested in maintaining competition with tablet makers. There was a comment made by a high up member at Nvidia that they were not interested in what they view as a dying market.
Click to expand...
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Yes unfortunately, just about all the decent manufacturers have decided it's a dead market. At least in the smaller format, the only real tablets currently available (with updated hardware) are the iPad Mini and the Amazon Fire (neither of which I want, due to their closed ecosystems).
You can't get a decent spec 7-8" tablet with current hardware anymore. Samsung gave up, they offered the Galaxy Tab S2 in 8" size in 2015 (having offered higher-end 8" tablets for a few years running), but then skipped an update last year, and are now only offering the S3 in 9.7" size. And for a ridiculous price of $600 US (and only 32 GB of storage!), so they seem to be trying to compete more with the iPad Pro, than anything else. And I'm pretty much done with Sammy, with their horrible skinning of Android (even if they no longer call it TouchWiz - still the same garbage) and stifling development with unlockable bootloaders.
NVIDIA seemed to bail on an updated tablet as well, last year. NVIDIA seemed to be gearing up late last year for an update to the Shield. The stock of existing K1's seemed to be disappearing, and I think they even filed with the FCC for a new tablet? But then NVIDIA basically bailed on the whole ting, announced they would not update the Shield, and more K1's would be back in stock.
I'd love an updated version of the Shield, but NVIDIA doesn't seem interested.
I own both, the s2 Tab 8" and the Shield and screen-wise the s2 blows the Shield away. Performance-wise (gaming) it's the other way around.
IMO nowadays it's all about the screen. If Nvidia came out with an OLED screen device plus their power chipsets.. win-win.
redpoint73 said:
Yes unfortunately, just about all the decent manufacturers have decided it's a dead market. At least in the smaller format, the only real tablets currently available (with updated hardware) are the iPad Mini and the Amazon Fire (neither of which I want, due to their closed ecosystems).
You can't get a decent spec 7-8" tablet with current hardware anymore. Samsung gave up, they offered the Galaxy Tab S2 in 8" size in 2015 (having offered higher-end 8" tablets for a few years running), but then skipped an update last year, and are now only offering the S3 in 9.7" size. And for a ridiculous price of $600 US (and only 32 GB of storage!), so they seem to be trying to compete more with the iPad Pro, than anything else. And I'm pretty much done with Sammy, with their horrible skinning of Android (even if they no longer call it TouchWiz - still the same garbage) and stifling development with unlockable bootloaders.
NVIDIA seemed to bail on an updated tablet as well, last year. NVIDIA seemed to be gearing up late last year for an update to the Shield. The stock of existing K1's seemed to be disappearing, and I think they even filed with the FCC for a new tablet? But then NVIDIA basically bailed on the whole ting, announced they would not update the Shield, and more K1's would be back in stock.
I'd love an updated version of the Shield, but NVIDIA doesn't seem interested.
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unfortunately at around the 7" mark is where people would rather just go for one of the big phones that is one reason for the lackluster sales of tablets. In the 8"+ setting you are competing with the ipads and laptops. And honestly the power of even a budget laptop blows all tablets away... So there is a slim number of consumers who want a 8-12" tablet. Honestly I would pick up a 2018 shield x2 tablet in a heart beat...
i would for one like a bigger nvidia tablet.
mirrin said:
unfortunately at around the 7" mark is where people would rather just go for one of the big phones that is one reason for the lackluster sales of tablets.
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I've heard people say similar, that basically folks don't want a small tablet when they can just use their phone. And I personally can't agree. Anyone who thinks that, must not actually have ever used a tablet (or at least otherwise convinced themselves they don't need a tablet for different, unrelated reasons - cost/budget, don't want to own too many devices, etc.). While the diagonal screen "size" on paper of a big phone/phablet versus a smaller tablet may not look that different (say around 5.5" versus 7"); that is a deceptive way of looking at screen size, as the actual difference in area is huge. Literally, the tablet will have double the area of the phone (while the difference in diagonal length is only 27%), which makes a big difference when viewing videos, web browsing, etc.
I own both a decently large phone (OnePlus 3T, with 5.5" screen) and the Shield, and they both serve their purposes. The 3T is better for portability, as it's what I carry whenever I leave the house. But when I'm at home, I find myself reaching for the Shield most all the time (unless I'm actually making a call, sending a text, or taking a pic) as the larger screen real estate make it much more pleasurable to use. But it never leaves the house (unless I'm going on an overnight trip) as it's not convenient to carry around on a daily basis (plus WiFi only).
mirrin said:
In the 8"+ setting you are competing with the ipads and laptops. And honestly the power of even a budget laptop blows all tablets away...
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Agree that larger tablets compete directly with iPads. But for me personally, Apple devices are not a choice; as I'm simply against Apple's closed ecosystem, proprietary standards (ports, etc.) and generally dictating to people what they should want/like instead of actually listening to what customers want.
Laptops, while they also have their place, are too bulky for my normal usage (mostly media consumption & web browsing). I have a nice laptop provided by my work, which often goes home with me. I never take it out for my own personal purposes (only for work) even though it's readily available. Simply too big and bulky.
BTW, not arguing with you, so hopefully doesn't come off that way. I agree with your points in general. But everyone has their own personal preferences. And unfortunately for me, mine contradict the masses or majority. And it's unfortunate that most all the manufacturers have decided that is not even enough of a niche market to provide a decent small tablet this year.
Thats why Microsoft did it right with the surface. If Nvidia went that path, but not as aggressive as in the laptop area performance. but made a nice tablet that can be used like a laptop per say.
Like the prior poster stated. outside i have my phone for portability. but anytime im sitting still ie. traveling and staying. i always have my Nvidia with me.
Spadizzle said:
Thats why Microsoft did it right with the surface. If Nvidia went that path, but not as aggressive as in the laptop area performance. but made a nice tablet that can be used like a laptop per say.
Like the prior poster stated. outside i have my phone for portability. but anytime im sitting still ie. traveling and staying. i always have my Nvidia with me.
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Problem is microsoft surfaces don't sell well either. Imagine 12 inch screen all of the power of a netbook or low end laptop at best the surface has a i7 6650U which hits the $500-600 laptop mark. a surface pro 4 with the max specs is around 1400. vs an ipad for 800 or less
For 1400 the surface has to compete with laptops and for that price you can get way more powerful laptops.
To sell well a tablet needs to be in the 8-10" size category it needs to have at least the power of the latest ipad and it must be priced under 400 anything higher the masses will just jump to an ipad. Anything under 180 will have too many corners cut to make a profit build, quality, function or appearance will suffer.
So that leaves us we need a tablet 8-10" with a good ips or oled display it needs to have the power of a tegra x1 or better and at least a sot battery life of 5-8 hours priced somewhere between 200-399
I've had the Nvidia Shield K1 tablet for about two years now and it's by far one of my favorite Android devices. The build is solid, premium, and durable. The speakers are great and the display still holds its own. Even now, many years after it's original release, this tablet is a powerhouse when handling most Android apps and a joy to game on. Despite its lack of selection, I've been very pleased with the GeForce Now streaming service and I like to know that GameStream is available whenever I invest in a PC upgrade. It handles supported Android games like a champ and I'm rooted for the sole purpose of PS4 remote play, which usually runs better than on my PS Vita (and with a native controller!)
I've been waiting years for it's proper successor (since before I even bought one) and have been dealt a number of blows.
First of all, I'm extremely disappointed that Nvidia's gaming services haven't branched out to any other devices. To my knowledge, even the Pixel C doesn't support the GeForce gaming app despite running on Nvidia hardware.
I remember reading that development on the second generation of Shield tablets was halted for Nvidia to work with Nintendo on the Switch. Despite not being a huge Nintendo fan in recent years, I'd happily trade in my K1 for a Switch if it had any additional tablet functionality at all. However, my understanding is that they have yet to even add video streaming services, much less the capacity to function as a student/work laptop like my Shield does.
Overall I'm upset to see the decline of Android tablets in general. From the Nexus 7 to the Nvidia Shield, $200-400 tablets were finally proving to be capable devices when the market dried up. Now Google seems to be confirming the death of Android tablets by replacing them with overpriced and under-delivering Chrome OS devices, which I have no affinity for.
Now that my Shield is starting to show it's age, where do I turn for a quality portable gaming device with web and app functionality? My options seem to be:
a) Buy a Switch, enjoy the games, hope for an update that adds more media and web functionality
b) Pixel C from eBay (does anyone own both of these devices that can offer a comparison, especially when it comes to gaming?)
c) Something way overpriced like a Surface Pro or iPad (which isn't gonna happen anytime soon but seems closest to what I'm looking for in the current market)
Are there any alternatives that I'm overlooking? Thanks!
I've been struggling with this myself - what tablet to get next. I'm not necessarily in a hurry to replace my Shield right away. But something snappier (more current gen processor) would be nice. And I have a few hairline cracks in the screen, which aren't always too noticeable, but obviously a replacement is due at some point. But what? There really isn't much out there. The gaming aspect of the Shield is cool. Although I have to admit I don't use it as much as I thought I would. Gaming is probably not deal breaker for me; but rather I use a tablet mainly for media consumption and general web browsing.
My thoughts on the options you listed, plus some of my own:
- I dislike the Apple ecosystem, as they seem more bent on telling folks what they want; instead of listening to, and actually giving them what they want.
- Pixel C is too old to invest in. Not any newer then the Shield. And I loathe to spend good money on old tech. Form what I understand, the Pixel C is retired and basically end of life (EOL) as far as Google is concerned. So again, a bad choice to put your money.
- MS Surface looks nice. But too expensive for what I use a tablet for (mostly media consumption, web browsing).
- Huawei seems to be one of the few companies committed to making Android tablets with a decent build quality. The M3 looks like a nice tablet, from a build quality aspect. But reviews comment that the processor performance, while fine for media consumption, is lackluster with games. The upcoming refreshed version M5 (they are supposedly skipping M4 since "4" is a bad luck number in Chinese culture) looks to improve the CPU performance. But the lack of a headphone jack is both puzzling for a tablet, and probably a deal breaker for me.
- Samsung Tab S3 looks nice, but very expensive still ($450, released at $600) and probably due from a refresh soon. Although that price point, might scare me away from it's successor! As it did for the S3 when it came out.
- ASUS Zenpad 3S gets good reviews in some places as the best (or at least, one of the best) Android tablet you can get right now. Build quality, while nice looking, is apparently not quite up to par (a little "creaky") with iPad or maybe Huawei. But it has a great screen, and decent processor performance. Again, we are probably due for a refresh (released Aug 2016). So I'm hesitant to spend money on something from almost 2 years ago.
- Apple dropped prices on the iPad to $329 (32 GB) version last year (and same for this years version). It's a great value for a high quality tablet. As mentioned, I'm not going to switch to the iOS ecosystem. But Android tablet makers may (probably) be forced to match quality and price, and that may be a good thing for us. Releasing a tablet like the Zenpad for $300, with slightly questionable build quality is probably not going to cut it. On a similar note, a new Samsung (S4?) without much more functionality than an iPad, selling for $600 is not justified, either.
redpoint73 said:
I've been struggling with this myself - what tablet to get next. I'm not necessarily in a hurry to replace my Shield right away. But something snappier (more current gen processor) would be nice. And I have a few hairline cracks in the screen, which aren't always too noticeable, but obviously a replacement is due at some point. But what? There really isn't much out there. The gaming aspect of the Shield is cool. Although I have to admit I don't use it as much as I thought I would. Gaming is probably not deal breaker for me; but rather I use a tablet mainly for media consumption and general web browsing.
My thoughts on the options you listed, plus some of my own:
- I dislike the Apple ecosystem, as they seem more bent on telling folks what they want; instead of listening to, and actually giving them what they want.
- Pixel C is too old to invest in. Not any newer then the Shield. And I loathe to spend good money on old tech. Form what I understand, the Pixel C is retired and basically end of life (EOL) as far as Google is concerned. So again, a bad choice to put your money.
- MS Surface looks nice. But too expensive for what I use a tablet for (mostly media consumption, web browsing).
- Huawei seems to be one of the few companies committed to making Android tablets with a decent build quality. The M3 looks like a nice tablet, from a build quality aspect. But reviews comment that the processor performance is a bit spotty. And the lack of a headphone jack is both puzzling for a tablet, and probably a deal breaker for me.
- Samsung Tab S3 looks nice, but very expensive still ($450, released at $600) and probably due from a refresh soon. Although that price point, might scare me away from it's successor! As it did for the S3 when it came out.
- ASUS Zenpad 3S gets good reviews in some places as the best (or at least, one of the best) Android tablet you can get right now. Build quality, while nice looking, is apparently not quite up to par (a little "creaky") with iPad or maybe Huawei. But it has a great screen, and decent processor performance. Again, we are probably due for a refresh (released Aug 2016). So I'm hesitant to spend money on something from almost 2 years ago.
- Apple dropped prices on the iPad to $329 (32 GB) version last year (and same for this years version). It's a great value for a high quality tablet. As mentioned, I'm not going to switch to the iOS ecosystem. But Android tablet makers may (probably) be forced to match quality and price, and that may be a good thing for us. Releasing a tablet like the Zenpad for $300, with slightly questionable build quality is probably not going to cut it. On a similar note, a new Samsung (S4?) without much more functionality than an iPad, selling for $600 is not justified, either.
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I appreciate your feedback and agree with most of it, all of the competition is too old or way overpriced. Samsung is getting there, their phones look a lot nicer and their software skins are less obnoxious but their tablets look totally stuck in the past. ASUS and Huawei have been viable alternatives but never seemed to quite hit the mark. As an Android fanboy, I love the Pixel C but ultimately couldn't pull the trigger for the exact reasons you listed. Apple has a dictative and overly minimalist approach but that being said...
I actually jumped the shark a couple days ago and bought a 10.5" iPad Pro w/ the Apple Pencil! The price is fair and the device is definitely high quality. It's taking more getting used to than I thought but the note-taking is fantastic and the fact that is has Civ 6 is a big deal for me haha. Apparently it even has PS4 Remote Play apps which I have yet to try.
I think Android is more friendly and intuitive but I have a new appreciation for Apple's design and hardware. However, the app stores are a lot more similar than I thought. For some reason I expected more selection on iOS especially in exclusive games. In general, the "Top Charts" are very similar between iOS & Android and most iOS exclusive apps are paid for. The platform really seems built for someone that also has an iPhone, Homepod, Apple TV and Mac which I have none of (this is my first and only Apple device). Despite small complaints and frustrations, it's just a really pretty device that handles my needs very well once I identify a workflow.
Overall, it was a really foreign choice for me to make. I've had Windows PCs my whole life and have been on the Android train since the OG Droid. I still might return this model for the newer & cheaper 2018 iPad. If a new Pixel tablet were to drop tomorrow, I'm sure I'd trade for it in a heartbeat. But given the current tablet market, I'm happy with this investment.
Pretty much in the same boat. The shield is still very usable for what I want and need it to do (chess, chrome, youtube and pdf reading) but sooner or later it eventually will have to be replaced. Also, the major reason I started using it as a media consumption device are all the ram problems so little by little I got rid of most of the stuff (including google apps lol!) and ended up using it for its nice screen and speakers and not its strong chip, but I would be so happy if we were to ever see a follow up to the shield tablet (sadly that's not happening). Heck, I would pay double the price of the K1. It seems that android tablets are slowly losing to apple (of course I'm not talking about premium ultra expensive samsung tabs). One last hope for android tablets could be the Mi pad 4 from xiaomi when it releases and that's it. Though, there is this new tablet os google is working on, so maybe that will be enough to spark more interest in tablets once again so we can survive one more tablet generation
The issue is nvidia decided that tablet market was not strong enough and that they would not put out a replacement for our tablets. Unfortunately that is much the consensus for cheaper/under 9 in.
I would really like to see a x1 or x2 based tablet with oled 4k screen...
Nah... it's called the Nintendo Switch... nVidia is selling plenty of mobile chips without the headaches of their own tablet.