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question about buying a tablet

Hi peeps been looking around at the android tablets on the market and wondering if i should take the plunge?.Thought i would ask here as you guys probably have more experiance than most.Can you recomend a couple?, i'm not looking to spend a fortune just want something that covers most bases and doesnt struggle to run the usual suspects.HDMI out would be a plus but any ideas you can offer or just give me ideas on what not to buy.Any helps good, thanx in advance.

I have a smoldering interest in a tablet as well but I will continue to hold off as my Lenovo X61t and Windows Phone compliment each other pretty well and I don't "need" one.
However, I have taken note of the Archos' that were just released. The general feeling is that they feel cheap in build quality but the price and performance is right there. This is engadgets take on the two tablets they have.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/24/archos-70-and-101-internet-tablet-review/
I have used the Samsung Galaxy S and it is a nice device. Gotta be honest though, nothing seems to be "more complete than the ipad", just in terms of docks, jailbreaking, best apps, etc.
There are so many 'knock offs' in this category, let us know what you find!

I agree in the upset front, it's a great piece of kit but I refuse to spend that kind if money. Have found plenty of cheap ones, and I don't mind the price tag but most are just a bit gutless lol. But yeah likewise bring the info if you find something good.
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Back again, on the subject off cheapo knock off tablets have you seen the a-ok pad lol now don't laugh. I could be persuaded to gamble on something as (shall we say rough) if it ticked the right boxes. Anybody heard if them? Any horror stories?
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

Buying a new tablet
I'm in the market for a tablet, and have taken my sweet time for the last 3 months researching and looking for the best one to buy. I've done my fair share of research and now i'm asking you: Should I buy the ASUS Transformer Prime with the dock, od should i wait for samsung/htc/moto/lenovo/acer... next-gen tablet? My fear is you see, that I'll buy The Prime, and that it won't be supported by some software develeopers, and left out in the cold with some apps, or not on par with the next-gen 2012 tablets. I want the best hardware specs, possible future windows 8 compatibility, preferably tegra device, 3g isn't a must, nor GPS but preferred. I don't mind waiting for a few more months since this would be my first tablet, wich i don't really need. NO IOS/IPad talk please, android tablet only (but like i said, with a possibility of win8 in the future). Any reasonable advice is more than welcome, and thank you all very much in advance!

IIRC Asus Prime will begin getting ICS/4.0 Jan 12th.
With that said, I would definitely play around with one before buying. Numerous reported issues that can't really be fixed through OTA's or software. (GPS, WIFI, light bleed, glass/screen loose from rest of tab).
Typical Asus if you ask me, crapshoot on quality.
Also depends on what you want in a tab. If you don't really want to play around/mod/customize then I think the Ipad 2 or hold out a couple of months for an Ipad 3 would be your best bet.
If you have to have an Android you have one of two options. Wait for more quad core tabs to be released, or start looking at what's available now.
Samsung 7.0 Plus is probably the best out for 7"ers.
For the 10"ers it's a toss up right now. Galaxy Tab 10.1 has good support, decent performance, light, easy to hold, good screen, great speakers (for a tab). It's cons to me are the Tegra 2 isn't up to snuff with Honeycomb OS.
The HP Touchpad is a great buy for the OS and specs, and can also be ported to Android (Still need to play with one)
Asus Transformer TF101 is also a good buy but again a crapshoot on quality but can be had for a good price.
The new Moto Xyboards are getting good reviews but they are overpriced for what they are, are only sold through VZW and were "technically" outdated before they were even released. Also locked bootloaders are never fun if flashing kernels are your thing.
Right now I'm looking at getting another tab so I guess you could say I'm in the same boat as you. I have an OG Galaxy Tab 7 on the way b/c I got it cheaper than cheap and just wanna play with it.
Considering picking up an 8" Xyboard also.
ETA: I probably won't pick up a Xyboard however until they come down in price or a WiFi only version is offered.
The SGT 7.7 also sounds promising. Decisions decisions.

First of all, thank you for the fast and torough reply... And yes, sweet sweet decisions
I forgot to say that I'm in the market for a 10" minimum tablet, don't want smthng smaller 'cause i allready have an SGSII so I'm covered for mobility.
As for ASUS's build quality, like I said I never owned a tablet so I definately will try out/play with one for a couple of hours before purchasing, and watch out for the screen bleed on an ips display. But currently most of my pc's componens (2xmobo, 2xgraphic cards, and a lappy) are ASUS made and i must say i'm more than satisfied with them, and as I recall, when I was buying my SGSII there was talk about screen burn-in, overheating and wifi problems too, but I haven't had a single one with my device. Besides that, I don't really need GPS or 3g in a tablet so it's not a dealbreaker with me on The Prime.
The problem is: I wouldn't buy any other tablet now existing in the market, mostly because of the Tegra3 chipset The Prime has, so if I'm paying a hi-end device (around 700$) i want the latest and fastest performer in the ring. And yes, in my book that is android only, as i find apple's devices a bit limiting sometimes (without any fanboyism, I come from a long line of iphones before my android). The things I'm worried hardware-wise are: the amount and speed of Prime's RAM (1gb od ddr2), possible wifi signal problems, screen bleed, and that it's topheavy when docked (a minor thing really). I love that it has a full USB 2.0 port, so you don't need a jack/ adapter of some kind (e.g. like on a SGSII microUSB to full USB). Not really worried about the one speaker layout eather, altough i was a bit dissapointed since the TF101 had a stereo layout, but still, not a dealbreaker (hey, it's still a tablet)...
Now you may laugh at this seeing your sig, but in my mobile history (25+ phones) the worst were accually motorolas (v3 being the worst of the lot, but than again A925 was more than excellent) I'm not so fond of HP either, last month i sold my DV6 3020em, (that's the i7 touchscreen version for Europe since i'm european), and i can say it was utter rubbish, overheating, shoddy build quality, squeaky, noisy fans, you name it... That's why I sold it, but it had a touchscreen which was more than handy, and that's why i want a tablet, I just might look a bit more into the HP touchpad after all.
Acer is great quality for it's price, really great. But I only had Acer's laptops, and the Iconia tablet is as ugly as a bullfrog from chernobyl, so I wouldn't want one.
Tf101 is ugly too by my standards, too big as well, but the looks aren't so important if it was an excellent performer, which none of the now available androids are compared to The Prime (at least not on honeycomb).
I played with samsung 8.9 a few days ago and I can report is't a great little device, thin, capable, satisfying all in all, but i'd like a bigger screen, and a real keyboard and it's not a tegra device (I play a lot of games so i'd like the tegra zone, as chainfire's plugins don't support all tegra tweaked games)
Now I do like to install a new ROM every few weeks on my SGSII but i srsly don't think that will be the case on a tablet (except Win 8, when it comes out).
So i guess the question remains: should i wait for Samsung's next gen 10.1 answer or just go with the prime now
P.S. sorry for my poor english

cavkic said:
First of all, thank you for the fast and torough reply... And yes, sweet sweet decisions
I forgot to say that I'm in the market for a 10" minimum tablet, don't want smthng smaller 'cause i allready have an SGSII so I'm covered for mobility.
As for ASUS's build quality, like i said i never owned a tablet so I definately will try out/play with one for a couple of hours before purchasing, and watch out for the screen bleed on an ips display. But currently most of my pc's componens (2xmobo, 2xgraphic cards, and a lappy) are ASUS made and i must say i'm more than satisfied with them, and as I recall, when I was buying my SGSII there was talk about screen burn-in, overheating and wifi problems too, but I haven't had a single one with my device. Besides that, I don't really need GPS or 3g in a tablet so it's not a dealbreaker with me on The Prime.
The problem is: I wouldn't buy any other tablet now existing in the market, mostly because of the Tegra3 chipset The Prime has, so if I'm paying a hi-end device (around 700$) i want the latest and fastest performer in the ring. And yes, in my book that is android only, as i find apple's devices a bit limiting sometimes (without any fanboyism, I come from a long line of iphones before my android). The only thing I'm worried hardware-wise is the amount and speed of Prime's RAM (1gb od ddr2), possible wifi signal problems, screen bleed, and that it's topheavy when docked (a minor thing really). I love that it has a full USB 2.0 port, so you don't need a jack/ adapter of some kind (e.g. like on a SGSII microUSB to full USB). Not really worried about the one speaker layout eather, altough i was a bit dissapointed since the TF101 had a stereo layout, but still, not a dealbreaker (hey, it's still a tablet)...
So i guess the question remains: should i wait for Samsung's next gen 10.1 answer or just go with the prime now
P.S. sorry for my poor english
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Don't jump the gun on the Prime until stock has settled in, right now retailers are price gouging due to low availability. The Prime should be $500 for the 32GB, $600 for the 64GB, not $650-700 for the 32GB.
I have a Transformer and an Iconia Tab A100, and I can tell you from first hand experience that the build quality isn't nearly as bad as the above poster is making it out to be. I actually like the finish on both the original Transformer and the Iconia series a lot, and the Prime seems to be a winner also. Another thing to consider for both ASUS and Acer is that they keep their Android releases relatively 'vanilla' except for a few bloatware-type apps of their own, unlike Samsung and HTC, who just can't help themselves but smear TouchWiz and Sense over everything they produce.
The only real reported issue with the Prime appears to be the GPS accuracy, but at least to me, it's a non-issue, since I disable GPS and bluetooth on everything.
The Windows 8 bit is yet to be seen, porting a device to another OS is something you can hope, but never hold your breath for. We've yet to see how Windows 8 distribution is going to work and remember that even if you do install Windows 8 down the road, it doesn't mean that you'll be able to run all windows-based programs, since mobile devices use ARM CPUs, and everything written for windows right now is made for x86 CPUs, so it will be up to each third party to rewrite their programs for compatibility.
Although I would never write out a company with pockets as deep as microsoft, they have proven time and time again that they are unable to compete in the mobile segment, so I don't see Windows 8 with as much hope and awe as many others do. (Especially since Ice Cream Sandwich is the first Android iteration we can really call "excellent")
TL;DR - If you can find a Prime for a decent price, then it's an amazing device to be had for a very reasonable price. If you plan on waiting, then checking out the upcoming Iconia A700 isn't a bad idea either if the dock isn't that important to you.

littleemp said:
Don't jump the gun on the Prime until stock has settled in, right now retailers are price gouging due to low availability. The Prime should be $500 for the 32GB, $600 for the 64GB, not $650-700 for the 32GB.
I have a Transformer and an Iconia Tab A100, and I can tell you from first hand experience that the build quality isn't nearly as bad as the above poster is making it out to be. I actually like the finish on both the original Transformer and the Iconia series a lot, and the Prime seems to be a winner also. Another thing to consider for both ASUS and Acer is that they keep their Android releases relatively 'vanilla' except for a few bloatware-type apps of their own, unlike Samsung and HTC, who just can't help themselves but smear TouchWiz and Sense over everything they produce.
The only real reported issue with the Prime appears to be the GPS accuracy, but at least to me, it's a non-issue, since I disable GPS and bluetooth on everything.
The Windows 8 bit is yet to be seen, porting a device to another OS is something you can hope, but never hold your breath for. We've yet to see how Windows 8 distribution is going to work and remember that even if you do install Windows 8 down the road, it doesn't mean that you'll be able to run all windows-based programs, since mobile devices use ARM CPUs, and everything written for windows right now is made for x86 CPUs, so it will be up to each third party to rewrite their programs for compatibility.
Although I would never write out a company with pockets as deep as microsoft, they have proven time and time again that they are unable to compete in the mobile segment, so I don't see Windows 8 with as much hope and awe as many others do. (Especially since Ice Cream Sandwich is the first Android iteration we can really call "excellent")
TL;DR - If you can find a Prime for a decent price, then it's an amazing device to be had for a very reasonable price. If you plan on waiting, then checking out the upcoming Iconia A700 isn't a bad idea either if the dock isn't that important to you.
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Tnx for the reply, and I have to say I think you misunderstood me. I don't think I said anything bad about acer's or asus's build quality just HP's (and only the perticular model of the DV6 I had), just that they're a bit on the ugly side, but that's totally a subjective stand, and irrelevant to anybody else.
As far as Prime's price goes, it should be available in Croatia, about 2hrs drive from my home in 10days for less than 700$ with the dock for the 32gig version, which is not a bad pricetag considering where I live, and I'm ready to give that kind of money for it. The dock is accually something i like about the Transformer, and it would probbably be a dead heat between TF101 just because of the dock) and the Sammy 10.1 if it weren't for the prime.
GPS, like I said, I don't mind. The SGSII has a great GPS reciever which i hardly ever use, maybe 6 times since i got it in july.
As far as ARM windows goes, I know what to expect from it , nothing special, but it would be nice to have that option when it's available
So you are happy with the TF101 and the Iconia? But would you recommend buying now the Prime if I'm happy with the price? I should mention I probbably won't buy it before ICS, and I'll try to get a hold of a stock ICS one when it's out after Jan. 12. because I want to make sure i missed the first version shipment

I believe you about Motorola. Until my Droid X I have ALWAYS hated Motorola. I never had a phone that worked right after some wear and tear and always had problems. From before smartphones thru the Droid 1, 2, and 3. (Went through multiples of those). I'm also a Samsung and HTC fan.
I've never had a problem with Asus computer components myself, w/ that said, there are quite a few complaints when it comes to the TF201 on quality. With that said, you, as I'm sure you do, have to take into account the dissatisfied ones are always going to moan and groan much more and louder than the happy customer.
I guess I just wish it was like cars when it comes to Tablets and would love for them to let me take the exact tab I'm looking to buy for a test drive. (Not leave the store but just open the box and get a good look at it and test everything to make sure I'm getting what my hard earned money is paying for).
I really want a TF201, but I'm going to wait til a few more Tegra 3 tabs come out. I really think Motorola would have hit a homerun if they would have put a quad core in their Xyboards and kept the price what they're charging now.
The three tabs I'm really torn between right now are the Xyboard 8.2, TF201, and Samsung 7.0 Plus. But man we are so close to seeing quad core as the new standard for tabs so the other part of me just wants to sit it out and wait.

So true what you said about the sitting and waiting for the quad core as the new standard, but on the other hand, HOW BAD DO WE WANT ONE!?!
Personally for me it's no competition between the Prime and other tablets, the Prime is just on another planet.
This morning the store answered my email saying that the Prime will be available mid january (in about 10 days) and said that maybe they could reserve one for me because of the small supply, but said the price may be different depending on the usd/euro stocks, but under 700$ for the 32gig version with dock...
Still I'm not planning on buying one before a test drive like you said (mostly to check for screen bleed). And yes, I took into account the moaners which is true like you said again...
I think I wathched every single review/comparison of the tablet on youtube, and read at least 10 reviews online, and it's all mostly positive.
I'll update as soon as i get my hands on a test one, hopefully in about 10 days.

[Q] purchasing advice needed

hi all,
im after some of your advice as to the best tablet, im going to ask in the xoom and galaxy forums as well, but id like your opinions on what is the best tablet to buy, obviously you guys are using the transformer already, and are happily modding the hell out of them, so you may have experience with the others as well.
i am trying to find somewhere which has all 3 which i can look at side by side, but in the UK im pretty much left with Pc world/Currys.. so i thought id do the next best thing and talk to people who have/use them.
i have narrowed my choices to;
Motorola Xoom,
Asus Transformer
Samsung Galaxy 10.1
if possible can you let me know what your experiences are like with any of them.
Thanks All.

Side by side you will probably like the Galaxy Tab which is much cleaner looking, a little higher quality, and has a nicer screen. However, the Transformer doesn't cost as much.
For me at least, the cost of the Galaxy Tab is unreasonable and the difference does not justify an extra $100 (or $200 as was my case).
If money was no object, I would probably go with the Tab, but since money is an object I went with the Transformer.

I've only had my TF for a couple days, but already I am very happy with my purchase. I feel at the $399 price point it was the best value for what I would be able to get out of it compared to the Tab. The Tab has a lot to offer but for what I was looking to get out of my tablet I don't think you could beat the value of the TF. Good luck in making your decison.

I think within a month there will be news of:
Transformer with Tegra 3
Apple iPad 3
Microsoft WIndows 8 tablet
And, many more Android tablets getting ready for holiday season.
Why would you buy now (next few weeks)?

Bob Smith42 said:
I think within a month there will be news of:
Transformer with Tegra 3
Apple iPad 3
Microsoft WIndows 8 tablet
And, many more Android tablets getting ready for holiday season.
Why would you buy now (next few weeks)?
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This is the reason why I waited till I could get the TF for 255 new instead of the usual 399.
That said, anything other than the TF you will lose productivity due to lack of keyboard dock.

If you don't need the keyboard, the Samsung is hard to beat. (Unless you are Apple and choose to compete in the courts instead of the marketplace.)

I didn't think much of the Zoom when I tested one but it was the original HC 3.0. That said it was more expensive than the TF as well even including the dock. Samsung looses for me because it doesn't have SD card expansion built in which I think was a poor choice to make. It is a nice tab though, no argument there. TF has it all and as a bonus is almost pure HC, no TouchWiz or anything like that bolted into it. Its not perfect but especially with the last couple of updates its a very good piece of kit.

xoom is already too bulky, too old, too expensive
I sold my TF after one month - ipad is still way ahead of all tablets - but I think it doesnt really matter if you choose Tab or TF - they work pretty much the same - just go to store, feel them and take the one you like more - or TF if you type a lot - the dock is quite good

hmm thanks for the info guys,
im debating waiting another month or so and see what comes out of the next batch of tablets, though im unsure that it will make much difference,

goodintentions said:
This is the reason why I waited till I could get the TF for 255 new instead of the usual 399.
That said, anything other than the TF you will lose productivity due to lack of keyboard dock.
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Where did you find the TF for $255?

I cant comment on the other 2 but im well impressed with my TF, i cant fault the build quality and the IPS screen is awesome. I didnt think i wanted the keyboard dock but glad i did and it really transforms the TF. Ive only had mine a week and was gonna hold off but theres nothing written in stone when the newer tabs are comming esp in the uk apart from sonys new offering which is due 18th sept. Im a real sony fanboy and was gonna pre-order the S1 but reading reviews of the how easily the screen and casing marked i settled for the Gorilla glassed, matt finished TF and am glad i did, it really is a nice bit of tech

AFAIK, the IPS Display on the Transformer is unbeatable by any other Android tablet. I'm not sure if the Galaxy Tab has an IPS Panel, but I know the Xoom does not.

javroch said:
AFAIK, the IPS Display on the Transformer is unbeatable by any other Android tablet. I'm not sure if the Galaxy Tab has an IPS Panel, but I know the Xoom does not.
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The Samsumg Galaxy Tab 10.1 does not have a IPS display it has a PLS display (Samsung's equivalent to the IPS). Most consider the Samsung display a but better (better color reproduction) and the viewing angles are just as good. They are very close but the Samsung has an edge.
The only thing that kept me from the 10.1 is the lack of MicroSD slot and the extra $100 (not to mention the TF has Micro HDMI out and an excellent docking solution).
Either one will be a good choice. Just depends it the expandable memory and video out matter to you as well as saving $100 or if you rather have thinner, lighter (and stylish) tab for a $100 premium. It's up to you!

I've heard that the Galaxy Tab uses IPS (or as you say Samsung calls it, PLS), but I haven't heard anything about it being any better than normal IPS. Either way, I imagine it can't be much of a significant improvement, if at all, since it's essentially the same technology.
On another note, though not everybody will agree, I can't think of any reason to purchase the Galaxy Tab or XOOM over the TF. I feel like there are numerous reasons why I'd prefer the TF though, especially over the XOOM, including: the display, the price, the build quality, expandability (extra SD slot, USB slots, keyboard + extra battery, etc).. I could keep going. I suppose the XOOM and Galaxy Tab offer 3G/4G connectivity, but personally I never understood why anybody would want to pay for that. I don't think I'd ever buy anything but a Wi-Fi tablet, so that aspect doesn't affect me. Again, obviously not everybody will agree with me on that though. Aside from these things, I feel like the three tablets are very similar. They all have similar processors, memory, hard drive space, version of Android, etc.

Considering the Tab and the Transformer are the same price, but the Transformer is higher spec and comes with a proper keyboard, it's a nobrainer....
The only spanner in the works, is that the Xoom is currently heavilly discounted in the UK.
Personally, I would still avoid the xoom, the European support sucks (slow updates), and I could never spend even that money on a tablet-only device after using a proper one with a dock.

Transformer is the best one

The xoom has a better build quality imo.. Its aluminum unibody is better than my transformers plastic casing-.-
Still for the price, Transformer all the way. If you can afford it, the Tab 10.1.
Or wait for the Quad core tablets coming this year.
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Im selling my iPad 2 and I ordered a TF . I found the iPad just too boring .
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It would really depend on how are you planning to use it
TF -
Pros:
- Best Keyboard Dock
- low Price
- has the best software support
- huge hardware modding possibilities (500Gb HDD on the keyboard dock, extra battery)
- microsd slot
- hdmi port on the tablet
- LCD screen has a "true color" approach, recommended for video/photo editing
Cons:
- build quality is average (light bleed, creaking noises when u push the back)
- even thou it has SRS speakers, sound is still a little faint
- bezel easily scratches
- battery life is a bit average
haha i already got really small scratches on the microSD slot (from inserting/removing) after 2 months of usage.
Xoom -
Pros:
- best build quality
- soft touch back
- better range/availability of accessories (case, screen protectors, etc.)
- microsd slot
Cons:
- a bit old
- expensive
- average screen panel
- heavy
Galaxy Tab 10.1 -
Pros:
- has the best range/availability of accessories (case, screen protectors, etc.)
- sleek design
- lighter
- has one of the loudest speakers
- longer battery life (as a tablet)
- screen has a nice color saturation (good for viewing movies)
- more of a browser/media player on the go
Cons:
- plastic backside
- no microsd slot
- no microUSB
- accessories needed for using USB/HDMI

[Q] Motorla Xoom vs Acer iconia vs Asus Transformer which is better???

Hey all i am going to purchase a tablet tommorow and just wondering now which one of the tablets are more superior then the other
Motorola xoom 32GB - $400
Asus Transformer 16GB (no keyboard) - $400
Acer Iconia 16gb - $440
i was leaning towards the asus but now i am seriously considering the xoom. i dont need the keyboard dock for the asus i just want a tablet that will Keep updating and a decent performance and screen
Thanks help will be appreciated

Asus with a keyboard is really cool

Get the Motorola Xoom. It is an awesome, compact device, it is a tad heavy (judging by your other two options I don't feel this an issue for you), but I do like the heft. It has a solid build quality, and I think it is the cheapest out of the bunch. If you live in the U.S., Best Buy has a family version that is less than $400.00, it has 16GB of in built storage and is the Wi-Fi only version. I've seen 32GB Wi-Fi go for $400.00-$450.00, this is the version I have, my friend sold it to me for $300.00, so I lucked out there. Not sure of the other two, but the Xoom can be rooted and there are sizable amount of custom roms available (though I haven't felt the need to root it yet), Xoom also has a mini-hdmi out port. Front and back cameras are okay though the dual led flash on the back camera is nice to have. The tablet is speedy, the touchsreen is bright (1280 × 800) and responsive, color saturation is good though not as vibrant when compared with my smartphone's qHD display, but that is a bit unfair, the Xoom's screen can holds it own very well and I have no major complaints at all. The battery life on this thing is incredible. I bought it from friend at around 3PM and he forgot the charger, it was at 62% battery life, through using the device and using the Wi-Fi to download and install my apps/Widgets, it lasted me into the early morning hours the next day. Of course heavy media playback will reduce the battery life, but still out of all the mobile devices I have owned, I was very impressed with battery life. In the end I feel the Xoom is an all around great tablet especially for the when you factor in the features and cost, you certainly won't regret purchasing it, after owning one I can now understand why the Xoom was one of Cnet.com's Best of CES 2011 Winner.
Hope this helps
-
Sent from my Xoom using xda premium

Xoom was one of Cnet.com's Best of CES 2011 Winner
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Xoom was the winner of CES, but will it be the winner in the end of 2011?
That's the place of the Transformer.
I can be 100% sure that before the Prime showed up, the first Transformer was the best Android tablet. So don't be hesitate

I was just about to ask the same question as the original poster. The only difference being, the acer iconia a500 being cheaper (16gb version, 32gb version costs the same as xoom and transformer). If there was a big price difference the choise would be much easier, but now I do not know what to do. I was leaning towards xoom, because it's the smallest of the bunch, has 32gb and is considered well built. Iconia is the cheapest and would make the most rational buy (plus the standard USB is a big plus) but does not look as good as the other two. And transformer - the biggest advantage is the dock for those who want it and I don't. What else is going for it, except the screen (is it really so much better comparing to let's say xoom)?
What do you think of iconia - built and functionality wise when comparing to the other two? Would you rather go for xoom or transformer when the price is identical (transformer is 16gb without the dock and xoom is 32gb)?

thx guys i ended up choosing the asus just for the screen and i have no doubbt i made the right choice the asus is well supported and there a few roms for it so yeah couldnt be more thrilled

Just as a sidenote, and I have no idea whether you even considered this one or not, but the Viewsonic GTab is the same basic hardware as the Xoom save for the fact it has but 512mb RAM. Mine is fast, smooth, EASY to root and has several stable ROM's along with the fact that a person almost has to TRY to brick the danged thing. At about $250 it is, IMHO, an underrated STEAL.

[Q] Suggestions for a <10" tablet?

I keep thinking I've decided on a particular 7" tablet...but I never actually make up my mind. But I know I do want one in general. Nothing 10", that's just too big. 8.9 or 9 is fine.
Lately I've been looking at the 3G HTC Flyer, but the ~$450 price tag, single-core processor, and lack of keyboard dock option kinda sucks. There's the Wifi version for about $250, but I feel like I'd be cheaping out by not going with the 3G version that can also make phone calls.
The Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus (~$300) has an optional keyboard dock, but it doesn't offer USB/HDMI/etc. ports or anything really other than the physical keyboard, and kinda sucks that you can only use it in one way. It's a nice tablet other than that, though.
The T-Mobile Springboard (Huawei Mediapad, ~$300) seems nice for the resolution and build quality, but support and developer community is basically non-existent and I'm not sure about Huawei in terms of reliability and whatnot.
Kindle Fire ($200) seems nice and simple, and I have a Prime membership so the VOD selection would be a nice feature not easily available on other tablets (at the moment at least). But the lack of physical volume buttons or official Market support kinda sucks - not that I particularly need it, though.
Used to have a Streak 7 and liked the build quality, but the screen resolution was kinda low and the screen as a whole wasn't too good, and the battery life wasn't too good either.
There's the LG G-Slate at around $350, but it's kinda heavy and LG kinda sucks with support/updates; the optional charging dock is nice.
The Galaxy Tab 7.7 is a great tablet overall, but the ~$600 pricetag is kinda hard to swallow.
Suggestions?

Kogan 7, 8 or 10
If you go to the official Kogan site, they sell 7" tablets for £119, 8" £150 and 10" £180 ish. They are not very well known but surprisingly cheap. Each one has a Capacitive (touch sensitive) screen with multi touch and a 1GHz processor.

moose.splash1 said:
If you go to the official Kogan site, they sell 7" tablets for £119, 8" £150 and 10" £180 ish. They are not very well known but surprisingly cheap. Each one has a Capacitive (touch sensitive) screen with multi touch and a 1GHz processor.
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Nothing against those tablets in particular, but I'd probably sooner go with a used Nook Color and CM7; in general, though, my major complaint with my phone is that watching HD videos isn't really possible with the processor, so I'd prefer a dual-core tablet.

I would get the Galaxy Tab, great for the money, plus I am pretty sure that you can get a usb adapter. And I think there is an ICS rom available.

I personally use an Asus Transformer for daily use but I just bought an Iview Cypad for my son it a 7" model. Sold alrdy ROOTED
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16858683003
It even has a Dev with functional ICS on it alrdy.
http://tabletrepublic.com/forum/cor...allwinner-a10-tablet-official-thread-883.html

techno-update said:
I would get the Galaxy Tab, great for the money, plus I am pretty sure that you can get a usb adapter. And I think there is an ICS rom available.
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Which one - the 7.0 or 7.7?
zedorda said:
I personally use an Asus Transformer for daily use but I just bought an Iview Cypad for my son it a 7" model. Sold alrdy ROOTED
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16858683003
It even has a Dev with functional ICS on it alrdy.
http://tabletrepublic.com/forum/cor...allwinner-a10-tablet-official-thread-883.html
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Eh, just like the other tablets posted here, they're kinda lacking in power for me and I'd rather stick to brands I know or have heard of.

how much of a hurry are you in to get a tablet? do you need it right now because if you can hold out there is not a date confirmed of launch yet but the 7" transformer prime is rumored to be launched at around the 250-300 price range with tegra 3 and ics when it launches and is supossed to have the same kind of keyboard dock as the tf101 and tf201. that is if you can hold off on the purchase a few months till the summer time. i personally love my asus transformer and a 7" inch version would just be amazing.

burnout-420 said:
how much of a hurry are you in to get a tablet? do you need it right now because if you can hold out there is not a date confirmed of launch yet but the 7" transformer prime is rumored to be launched at around the 250-300 price range with tegra 3 and ics when it launches and is supossed to have the same kind of keyboard dock as the tf101 and tf201. that is if you can hold off on the purchase a few months till the summer time. i personally love my asus transformer and a 7" inch version would just be amazing.
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I guess that's not a bad idea, to at least hold off until more details arrive. I don't think I'll have the money for a tablet at least for a month anyway. Of course, it would be nice tp have a tablet lined up until then, if it turns out to be a flop or something. Plus, it'd be nice to be able to make GSM calls with either the 3G Flyer or Tab 7.7, which I doubt the 7" Asus will have.

that is very true. i had forgot that you were interested in the phone feature in a tablet as well. i was also interest in this feature but sacrificed when i got the 10" transformer because the keyboard dock notebook effect had me sold as soon as it was launched . If you are seriously interested in the phone then the new 7.7" galaxy tab is a very nice piece and the one for you. i just held one the other day and played with it at the mall its really nice. Plus if you are still saving for another month or so, the longer wait the lower the 7.7" will drop in price by the time you are ready to make your purchase.

magus57 said:
Nothing against those tablets in particular, but I'd probably sooner go with a used Nook Color and CM7; in general, though, my major complaint with my phone is that watching HD videos isn't really possible with the processor, so I'd prefer a dual-core tablet.
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True, the Advent Vega is also a pretty good tablet for the price. Its about 200 and has a 1Ghz dual core processor that can be over clocked to 1.2 Ghz. My Vega is running Honey ice (a honeycomb rom) which is amazing! my site is Silverbean Android btw so search it on Google and I have a few tablet reviews and videos. I'm also on Google plus if anyone's interested
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA

What is the best tablet for me?

With Christmas fast approaching, I originally planned on purchasing myself an upgrade to my 2 year-old laptop. Yet, besides gaming which I am for the most part not particularly bothered about and can easily do still on the family PC, Xbox 360 or through OnLive, my current system proves more than capable for almost everything I can through at it - even if a bit slow on more laborious tasks such as video rendering (something which I have done only about three times in an entire two year period). Now, whilst this isn't a definitive decision, I think it may be nice to purchase a tablet for use downstairs as I dislike having to carry my laptop up and down to/from my room all the time especially when I want to just do a bit of light web browsing. Whilst the most obvious choice might be the Nexus 7 for most people, I own a Galaxy Note (which has a large 5.3" screen) and it is because of this that I don't see a 7" tablet as a worthy investment for such a measly increase in screen size. So, what do people here feel to be the best 10" tablet (so long as it will be publicly available in the UK by Christmas 2012)?

Are there specific features you want a tablet to have?

sls123093 said:
Are there specific features you want a tablet to have?
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I must thank you, first and foremost, for such a quick response to this thread. Now, in terms of features, storage is one of my main criticisms over the Nexus 7 and for a tablet to be a true media device I would personally want it to have expandable storage via a Micro-SD card slot. Since my Galaxy Note already has a large 5.3" display, this tablet would have to be no less than 10" to even feel any more beneficial than just using my phone and, on the topic of displays, my past three phones have all had AMOLED displays with a very high resolution so a tablet would need a fairly decent resolution else it'd be left behind my Note. Although I may never utilise it as I certainly haven't needed nor wanted to before, the ability to mod easy (no locked boot-loaders or stuff like that) would be nice.

I did look at the latest iPad at one point in time and, whilst its quality app market, high-resolution screen coupled with a sleek design and upcoming support of Siri make it all very desirable, the lack of true multi-tasking seems a killer for me. I like the ability to quickly flick between an internet browser and an office program, for example. This has allowed me, in the past, to even complete homework tasks for school on my Galaxy Note.

Well if price isnt an issue, The brand new infinity has the best display out of any android tablet, and is super fast. Plus the dock is awesome. If price is a concern, you can still get an older prime + dock for around 400. But 10" might be too much, I personally think it is. I think 8.9 is a happy medium. But if you dont want a tablet, chromebooks are awesome

TheMuffStuff said:
Well if price isnt an issue, The brand new infinity has the best display out of any android tablet, and is super fast. Plus the dock is awesome. If price is a concern, you can still get an older prime + dock for around 400. But 10" might be too much, I personally think it is. I think 8.9 is a happy medium. But if you dont want a tablet, chromebooks are awesome
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Aren't Chromebooks basically just laptops, which I already have one of? And, 8.9 inches isn't enough of a size increase over my Note still. I would want a 10" tab. And, as of the last time I checked, the Infinity is around £650 GBP or so. That is even more than an iPad! Plus, I have no use for a keyboard dock.

Brad387 said:
With Christmas fast approaching, I originally planned on purchasing myself an upgrade to my 2 year-old laptop. Yet, besides gaming which I am for the most part not particularly bothered about and can easily do still on the family PC, Xbox 360 or through OnLive, my current system proves more than capable for almost everything I can through at it - even if a bit slow on more laborious tasks such as video rendering (something which I have done only about three times in an entire two year period). Now, whilst this isn't a definitive decision, I think it may be nice to purchase a tablet for use downstairs as I dislike having to carry my laptop up and down to/from my room all the time especially when I want to just do a bit of light web browsing. Whilst the most obvious choice might be the Nexus 7 for most people, I own a Galaxy Note (which has a large 5.3" screen) and it is because of this that I don't see a 7" tablet as a worthy investment for such a measly increase in screen size. So, what do people here feel to be the best 10" tablet (so long as it will be publicly available in the UK by Christmas 2012)?
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I recommend a used iPad Wifi/3G model

Iph0ne27 said:
I recommend a used iPad Wifi/3G model
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But, if you read later on, you'd know that I dislike the lack of multi-tasking on an iPad. Plus, I have grown accustomed to Google's wealth of services and the Android OS.

Web browsing on a tablet sucks, which will you will soon find out. Keyboard dock helps 100 fold, and the chromebook is just a webbrowsing net book. Its so light and small its not like a hunky laptop, and doesnt get hot. And you can buy an infinity for ~500$ on here. Or evne a regular transformer for around 350

TheMuffStuff said:
Web browsing on a tablet sucks, which will you will soon find out. Keyboard dock helps 100 fold, and the chromebook is just a webbrowsing net book. Its so light and small its not like a hunky laptop, and doesnt get hot. And you can buy an infinity for ~500$ on here. Or evne a regular transformer for around 350
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How does web browsing on a tablet "suck"?
Isn't that one of their primary functions?

Closed use proper Q&A section