I'm looking to get a Android tablet and my only choices really are the Xoom or the as yet unreleased Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v. I was wondering what was the general consensus, is it better to wait for the Galaxy Tab 10.1v or get a Xoom now. Obviously the choice is personal etc. however if I got the Tab it would be the UK version not the new updated version and the reason why this bothers me is I like to root and mess about etc. Which is why I'm asking here, I have a Nexus S and so I am drawn to the Xoom because its another 'flagship' device for android and as with the Nexus S I imagine there is a lot of developers behind it - this is a major plus for me between the Tab 10.1v and Xoom. Which is why if there are different versions of the Tab this would slow/hamper development plus as its not the flagship device future software updates don't seem as certain as they do for the Xoom. I know the general specs - the Xoom being slightly heavier and thicker buts its mainly the software and development which concerns me. I know this sounds vague but to me it seems that the Xoom is the logical choice development wise but every time I look at the Galaxy Tab 10.1v and read about a small niggle with the Xoom, such as the lock button, it makes me wonder and hesitate.
Secondly, I'm currently travelling through Malaysia, Singapore and then onto Oz and Nz. I was thinking of getting the WiFi only Xoom in Kuala Lumpur as the prices I have seen are cheaper than in the UK, I was just wondering this wouldn't be a problem - as in its not a different version as compared to a UK WiFi only Xoom. (Also if anyone knows KL well, where is the easiest Courts store to get to from a tourists point of view to get a Xoom?)
Thank you in advance!
P.S. how do you say Xoom? Is it like xhume or just zoom?
A shameless bump, one of the 40 odd views must own the Xoom and/or have an opinion.
Thank you!
The trouble is that few people have experience at this point with multiple Honeycomb tablets.
If you are basing your decision solely on the issue that the Xoom is a "flagship" product remember that Google is fickle, and have already stated that the Honeycomb tablet variant of Android is basically a deadend. If they are serious about Ice Cream Sandwich being one version for all devices, there may not be a second wave of Honeycomb tablets and certainly not a third. As far as official Honeycomb versions, 3.1 may well be the last. In that case, there will be a new flagship tablet by the end of the year, one designed around Ice Cream Sandwich.
However, its current flagship status likely means that the Xoom DOES have a better chance for an official ICS upgrade then some other tablets being released now.
I completely agree with you that the real rival to the Xoom on the Honeycomb field is the Samsung Tab 10.1. Both the Asus Transformer and Acer Aconia fell behind in my opinion on build quality and physical quirks (which is consistent with my experiences with both Asus and Acer...too many corners cut and compromises made). The Transformer does have a price edge, but I got the impression that, like me, you are not looking for the budget model, but the best model. Both the Xoom and the Tab series also have active modding communities, which don;t really exist (at least not yet) for the Transformer and the Aconia.
So how do the front runners measure up? Well, the Samsung Tab 10.1 appears from the specs and reports to have a slightly better screen than the Xoom, and this makes sense as my Galaxy S i9000's AMOLED is the best screen I have ever had on a mobile device, bar none. Since Samsung's bread and butter products are screens and NAND, this makes sense.
However, Motorola has always succeeded (or failed) mainly on overall design, and this is where I feel the Xoom shines over the Samsung Tab (I have worked with a Tab 7 inch and the form factor of the 10.1 seems to be identical, just bigger). The Tab felt wrong in my hands, somehow awkward and angular. The Xoom, on the other had, has a very substantial yet organic feeling to it. I enjoy holding it and carrying it. The design and the attention to detail of the Xoom simply works for me. For example, the fact that the power button is on the back and slightly recessed, which some users hate, is a case in point. It feels natural that it is there to me, and I really like the fact that it is out of the way. The build quality overall is truly excellent, it feels like a luxury device where the Tab felt to me far more functional.
I am sure they are both excellent devices, and I may pick up one of the Tab 10.1 devices to tinker with the hardware and out of some newfound loyalty to Samsung...however for now the Xoom is my mobile office of choice. If you were able to handle both, side by side for a little while, I have a feeling you would agree.
And as far as I know, it is pronounced Zoom...at least that is how I say it. As the word looks more like Klingon than English, I could of course be wrong.
Thank you for the very helpful reply! Yes another worry is Ice Cream Sandwich, for my Nexus S its not a worry as I know it will be supported and updated so on that front its all good but yes when ICS comes out they could quite well release a new tablet - which is the main problem in the tech industry as soon as you buy a new better model comes out and it seems even more apparent with android!
Part of me thinks get a Xoom will be fine with updates etc and then everytime I look at the tab 10.1 or read about ICS I hesitate. Rather frustrating!
Part of me thinks just jump in! And if I come across a Xoom whilst in Kuala Lumpur I will probably buy it.
Thanks for the advice!
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
vviper said:
I'm looking to get a Android tablet and my only choices really are the Xoom or the as yet unreleased Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v. I was wondering what was the general consensus, is it better to wait for the Galaxy Tab 10.1v or get a Xoom now. Obviously the choice is personal etc. however if I got the Tab it would be the UK version not the new updated version and the reason why this bothers me is I like to root and mess about etc. Which is why I'm asking here, I have a Nexus S and so I am drawn to the Xoom because its another 'flagship' device for android and as with the Nexus S I imagine there is a lot of developers behind it - this is a major plus for me between the Tab 10.1v and Xoom. Which is why if there are different versions of the Tab this would slow/hamper development plus as its not the flagship device future software updates don't seem as certain as they do for the Xoom. I know the general specs - the Xoom being slightly heavier and thicker buts its mainly the software and development which concerns me. I know this sounds vague but to me it seems that the Xoom is the logical choice development wise but every time I look at the Galaxy Tab 10.1v and read about a small niggle with the Xoom, such as the lock button, it makes me wonder and hesitate.
Secondly, I'm currently travelling through Malaysia, Singapore and then onto Oz and Nz. I was thinking of getting the WiFi only Xoom in Kuala Lumpur as the prices I have seen are cheaper than in the UK, I was just wondering this wouldn't be a problem - as in its not a different version as compared to a UK WiFi only Xoom. (Also if anyone knows KL well, where is the easiest Courts store to get to from a tourists point of view to get a Xoom?)
Thank you in advance!
P.S. how do you say Xoom? Is it like xhume or just zoom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey man...
I recently bought the xoom (zoom) this saturday 6/4/11 and I was racking my brains on which to buy...same as you...and I went for the xoom for these few reasons...
Motorola made a great Android phone (Droid) and the build of it was really solid and sturdy. I tried to intentionally scratch the screen with a tack, keys, nail, sharp things and it simply would not scratch. +1 for that...The build quality of the D1 was great...really really sturdy. I was looking at an upgrade for my cellphone back in Dec and almost went with Samsung...but the build quality was a bit plasticy...so I waited..got the Tbolt...these few things about the D1 sold me on the xoom...but not fully.
When comparing the two devices I saw some pros that the xoom had, I felt took the cake. Expansion SD Card slot...Vanilla honeycomb...and different outputs i.e hdmi ect...I had to go with the one that was more bang for my buck so to speak.
After using it for almost 2 days now...I love the weight of the xoom...Its very very very solid, just like my D1. I love the screen, I love the usefulness of the device and I love everything about it!
It looks great, feels great, and operates fantastic. I should say that I got the wifi version and really love the thing man...if I were you...go XOOM!
Some things not mentioned
a) Have to hack to get the sd card working
b) The Samsung 10.1 does not have an AMOLED screen. Therefore cannot be listed as an advantage.
Although some have claimed that the tab does have a better screen. Not sure. But I have heard that the tab has bleed through light on the sides. Again not sure.
So I have been trying to get a hold of the HTC Arrive on Sprint for the past couple of days locally with no luck (Lexington, KY).
Basically my question is, Will the arrive lag on me at all? should I wait for that rumored LTE Windows Phone? That is something I worry about when making the switch as this is a first generation windows phone 7 we are talking about here...
Also like the fact that it has a physical keyboard. Lack of SD Slot bothers me, but I can deal with it.
Iirc, the Arrive is the same model as the 7Pro over here in the UK (maybe a few slight differences). The model was the spiritual successor to the TouchPro2.
As it is a 1st gen phone, HTC have discontinued the 7Pro a while back, and not afaik, replaced it with anything similar.
I don't think it sold in great quantities, due to the "professional" nature of the phone, with WP7 being aimed more towards consumers, and also because WP7 as a whole, were pretty much flat until Nokia got in on the act. Most people who bought HTC's seemed to buy droid varients. Also, as the TouchPro2 was considered by the WinMo community, as the true successor to the HTC Universal, and it the best part of 4 years to be released after the Uni, then it is likely that HTC may not be in a hurry to release the next variant of the TouchPro series.
First of all, in answer to your question, "lag" is generally not a problem at all on WP7. The OS is designed specifically to perform well on the first-gen hardware, and it shows. The second-gen phones may technically be faster, but the difference is generally not noticeable to people unless you're doing really JavaScript-heavy websites or something. If you meant the speed of the data connection, it's true that the Arrive is "only" 3G, but it should still be able to pull several Mbps down. That's enough for pretty much anything that makes sense to do on a phone, including YouTube videos and such.
As for buying one, that should be possible but it may take a bit of searching. If you go into a Sprint store (not a little kiosk, an actual store) you may find it there (though you might have to ask for it specifically, as many stores are reported to not have them on display).
If there's a Microsoft store near you, you might be able to buy one from there. They mostly have second-gen Windows phones now, but since the only model on Sprint is a first-gen, they might carry it anyhow.
Finally, you could just find it online. http://www.bing.com/search?q=sprint+htc+arrive. There are lots of good links there; Radio Shack is apparently selling them for free if you get a new 2-year plan, plus free shipping. I'd jump on that deal if you're up for renewal. If not, there are lots of other options...
So at my local store there is a deal on this thing, buy now, pay 6months later.
Is it worth buying? I've looked at the reviews and they are all pretty good, I like the touchwize element and the look of the Samsung customised apps on it.
I recently bricked my Sony Tablet S, so looking for something a little different until it's fixed!
Any ideas please?
Well overall, this is a pretty solid tablet. Best in class IMO.
But, that being said, it still has its quirks.
Not to mention no ICS (and we all question whether we'll get it or not)
Also, if u decide to get it, don't expect any AOSP (CM, AOKP, MIUI) for some time. Samsung isn't cooperating with us by withholding some important bits of source that we need.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using xda premium
Thanks for the feedback, for me it's not about the ROM's, but the usage. Is it stable, fast, pretty lag free?
I can get it, use it under a 15day money back guarentee.
It's a great tablet. I've had an iPad, a Samsung Galaxy Tab (original 3G 7 inch) a Galaxy Tab 10.1 and now this, and this is the first one I have been completely happy with.
The hardware is similar to the SGS2, which means its smooth and fast, with sufficient battery life for all the travelling I do. The SGT10.1 had the rather poor Tegra2 chipset which I found quite disappointing, whereas the Xynos in the SGT7+ is fast and stable. The fact that it has a microSD slot is very important to me (The SGT10.1 lacked one and therefore if you got a 16GB one, you were stuck with about 13GB of storage).
At the moment it lacks ICS, but having been using ICS on my Galaxy Nexus for a couple of months, I can live with Honeycomb for now.
I'll be sticking with my SGT7+ for a while I think!
I'm happy with mine overall, but it does have a few issues that may be common to all firmware versions:
1. Bluetooth keyboard/mouse lag has been reported.
2. Analog audio output volume can be low/problematic (I always use a bt headset).
3. I've noticed network lag on every wifi AP I've connected to: 20-150ms fluctuating ping latency to LAN and Internet hosts. Other devices on my LAN, including my old Nook Color, get the expected sub-10ms pings to each other.
Sent from my GT-P6210 using Tapatalk 2
I enjoy this tablet.
I bought this for the 7" form factor. I think it works great. I use it for taking notes, or outlining ideas, along with lots of reading. Web, E-Book, work document review whatever... it works just fine. I also like it for a "second Screen" for podcasts while I'm browsing on my desktop PC.
Cons for me are it seems to warm up on the left side with heavy wifi use, and that is mildly annoying, but tolerable. Touch Wiz seemed to talk up a bunch of RAM and crash on me, I replaced it with Go Launcher HD and haven't had a problem since. I just wish I could ditch it completely.
As far as I can tell at this moment, there isn't a another 7" tablet with the same battery life, feature set, and price point. Ultimately that is why I picked one up.
So TouchWiz isn't good on it?
It was one of the reasons why I'd buy it...
SWFlyerUK said:
So TouchWiz isn't good on it?
It was one of the reasons why I'd buy it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TouchWiz is fine on mine and on the other units I purchased for floor-use at the plant.
I have had nearly zero issues out of my 7+. Former iPad, Xoom, and Kindle Fire owner here, and the 7+ is easily the best tablet I have owned, TouchWiz included.
Very Good Product, but...
Flyer:
I have had my SGT 7 plus for about a month, and it is my favorite of our five tablets, which include a Nook Color, a Xoom and 2 Transformer 102s; all of which have ICS. It works very smoothly and has all the power I need. However I do not do intensive gaming.
The screen image is bright and clear, and aside of a few force closures, most likely caused by apps mis-behaving, I have had no problems with the stock Honeycomb OS.
Regarding the negative comments about TouchWiz, I feel it has some nice features, but I do not feel the hidden app tray on the bottom of the screen is as handy as it would be if the apps were selectable (if they are I have not figured how).
In response to the comment about TouchWiz consuming a lot of power, I personally have not found that to be the case. To me it just seems to be a feature that is somewhat unobtrusively there if you want to use it (although I would be the first to admit I probably am not familiar with all the features).
Regarding power use in general, compared to my other tablets, my SGT 7 plus is very good. In fact, if I just close the screen, it barely sips power. Of course I am sure that is, in part, because of the way I have it set up.
There are a few things that I wish were different; such as the lack of a stand alone USB connector, and the use of a proprietary charge/usb connector. But to me that is really nitpicking in the overall scheme of things.
The only serious concern I have is the impact the soon to come out SGT 2 7" will have on our getting ICS in a timely manner. There is no doubt in my mind the SGT 7 plus is a better tablet, and an excellent value when bought at the $299 or less sales price even with the Honeycomb OS.
However, it does not have ICS, and presently there is no concrete information as to when/if Samsung will make it available; and, in my opinion, ICS is a much better O.S, so availability of ICS for the SGT 7 plus is a very important consideration in deciding which tablet to buy.
In my opinion, holding prospective and recent customers in limbo in this manner, as Samsung is presently doing, is a terrible way for a company to do business. There is no doubt in my mind the SGT 7 plus is a better built tablet, with more features than the SGT 2 7", but if the SGT 7 plus does not receive the ICS it will be limited in utilization of the new software being developed, and therefore may be basically obsolete within a matter of a couple of months.
Personally, although I love mine, if considering purchasing today, I would wait another month or so to see how this scenario (ICS update) plays out.
Hope this is of help to you!
Cbill
For what its worth, Samsung HAS confirmed that we will get the update. Full stop. This was in an officially released press release, which can be found on Samsung Mobile's facebook wall.
Time frame, however, was never officially released except for the fact that the Note and the S2 would get the update first. This, to me, points to no ICS update until the Note gets its update.
Just my two cents on the ICS issue, because I keep seeing people acting like Samsung hasn't said any thing about our tablet, and they have.
Robyr:
Obviously you are not at a decision point of purchasing (or returning a recently purchased) SGT 7 plus.
O.K., lets say you are right when you opine Samsung will release ICS for the 7+. The next question is when?. Two week , two months, six months? Every week new 7" tabs, with ICS installed, and with new and improved features, are coming on the market. Given these circumstances, how long is an appropriate time to wait for a current operating system upgrade for your newly purchased (and only recently released to the market) Tablet.
I love my 7+, but I also want the smoothness, and increased versitility that ICS brings. I have it on my Transformer 102 wifi, and my Xoom wifi(contrary to what an earlier poster stated) and I even have it on my poor little ole Nook Color (CM9), and I do not feel those of us owning Tab 7+ 's, not tied to a carrier should have to wait any longer without some official indication of timing schedule from Samsung.
Let's not lose sight of the fact that the ICS operating system has been available for a considerable amount of time, and, I suspect, most, if not all of the 7 plus's that have been sold in this country were purchased in anticipation of upgrade to ICS in the" not-to-distant future" from their purchase date I know that certainly was the case with me. Instead of providing that upgrade in a timely manner, it appears Samsung chose to undercut their own customers by bringing to market a low cost, downgraded Tab 7, using ICS as a sales feature, while leaving their 7 plus customers out in the cold.
I have two days left to decide whether I will keep my 7 plus. It is not an easy decision. However, whichever way I decide, in the future I will always be very cautious about purchasing samsung phones or tablets.
Cbill
Decided to buy it, will be here tomorrow and can't wait!
All the other manufacturers are just as bad, if not worse than Samsung when it comes to upgrades of IS, and it has been a 'feature' of the phone market for as long a there have been phones capable of being upgraded.
The way I look at it is that the tablet still works exactly the same way now as it did when I bought it, irrespective of ICS's prevalence on other tablets. Sure it's nice to get a new OS, and I won't complain if ICS is released in a timely matter, but if honeycomb sucked that badly then it would have been a poor purchase in the first place.
But as for the OP, go enjoy your new tablet, and remember to feel sorry for the chumps with aching arms from holding their heavy iPads up all day =)
Sent from my GT-P6210 using xda premium
Thanks guy, arrived yesterday and what a fantastic device. Alot better than the Son Table S, although I paid £270 for mine and noticed there was no IR?
No IR
There must be some variation in the models. I bought mine in the US in Feb from Best Buy for about £250, and it came with IR, and a cool piece of IR software for controlling TVs, DVD players, etc.
However, it appears Samsung have not changed model numbers despite the hardware change.
Thanks for the response.
I'm on GT-P621 and was a little confused about root.
Can someone point me to the correct root solution thread please?
Not a noob, but a newby to this device!
SWFlyerUK said:
Can someone point me to the correct root solution thread please?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1367249
Hi all,
Recently my trusty Galaxy S2 started to bug the crap out of me and I decided it is time to start looking out for a new device.
Some of the devices which have caught my eye: HTC one M8, Z1 xperia compact, Oppo first7, One Plus One (although this one seems to be to be more elusive than an albino unicorn) and Mi 3 (although I am not a big fan of Miui).
-note: even though this post is not to ask any recommendations regarding phones, if you would have any to share, please feel free to do so
As someone who spends time on this forum ever since my HTC Excalibur, breaking my phone and hoping to fix it (the kid who takes apart his alarm clock and doesn't know how to put it back together... that's basically me), the first thing I mostly do when getting a new phone is rooting it and installing a custom rom...
Earlier today, I read an article on The Verge, which made me wonder: do different phones still matter?
If you consider the choice of a phone depending on following elements:
screen size
battery life
Android version (and probably OEM added bulk)
price
specs (ie ram, processor speed etc)
design
"various features" (such as the double lens on the HTC one)
Screensize is mostly similar in phones nowadays (except for the z1 compact), the android version is mostly the latest version thanks to everyone on this forum (in phone list above the Mi3 is a a bit different) and design is subjective... so these three won't really make any difference.
From the article on The Verge, it seems that specs to be of less importance nowadays in modern phones (it's attractive to have a quadcore whatever processor with an unlimited amount of ram, but does anyone really use all this horsepower -if you don't game?).
And the thing which I called "various features"; I haven't seen a single feature that wow-ed me enough to consider this a musthave (again if someone knows about something I don't please let me know
Which leaves us to battery life and price.
These seem to be the only dealbreakers for me at the moment...
Anyone who can find him/herself in this opinion (or absolutely disagrees)?