Database Info

One week with a Xoom / Honeycomb

(posting here because I think that GTAB users would want to know about this)
Don't get me wrong - if we can find a way to port Honeycomb, I'm all for it. If anything else, some of the apps are very nice and would be a worthy update from Froyo.
However, at this particular moment, I'm not all that thrilled with Honeycomb on the Xoom. Mainly due to SPEED. Quadrant and Nenamark scrores are definitely lower than recent mods or even stock 3991 on the GTAB, and more importantly it's actually noticeable in real-world use. Case in point: Launcher Pro. On TNT Lite 5.0.0, it's very fast - but on the Xoom, it's actually choppy. I don't have an overclocked kernel, but I shouldn't HAVE to overclock it to get the same speeds as I have on my GTAB. And Angry Birds Seasons actually slows down at times! I don't I've ever seen that on my GTAB.
My point here is that the Xoom users aren't running a speedy little OS like we thought they would be. I assume that, eventually, Honeycomb will shake out the bugs and the speed will increase, but it's NOT as fast as the GTAB or the Adam. That is actually quite disappointing, given the price point.
The hardware is very nice (ie the screen angles are better, the camera is better, the speakers are better etc.), but the software needs improvement.

so, I guess that we should get a Ipad 2 then. =) just kidding. I played around it too for a few days, I could do pretty much everything in tnt lite or vegan 7... I am also not a big fan of the look - looks very cheap and fragile compares to Ipad2. I am leaning more to ASUS transformer and the screen is stunning. I guess that I will sell it in ebay and wait for the transformer which is scheduled to release in April starting $399..
Roebeet: I just wanted to say that "THANK YOU SO MUCH" for all your work and help here. Sorry, I just sold my gtab but I am NOT leaving Android. Just try to find a good match.. it is like looking for a wife.. hahaha.

Thanks for the candid and professional assessment. We have perhaps reposed too much faith in Honeycomb without reckoning on its infancy. After all, Android 3.0 is a paradigm shift in the firmware's evolution, and such shifts only come right after a few iterations.
Makes me think that those company's launching new tablets still running Froyo may have a point...let the public get to know new hardware in a familiar milieu until the Honeycomb environment matures.

tyy10002 said:
so, I guess that we should get a Ipad 2 then. =) just kidding. I played around it too for a few days, I could do pretty much everything in tnt lite or vegan 7... I am also not a big fan of the look - looks very cheap and fragile compares to Ipad2. I am leaning more to ASUS transformer and the screen is stunning. I guess that I will sell it in ebay and wait for the transformer which is scheduled to release in April starting $399..
Roebeet: I just wanted to say that "THANK YOU SO MUCH" for all your work and help here. Sorry, I just sold my gtab but I am leaving Android. Just try to find a good match.. it is like looking for a wife.. hahaha.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are very welcome! I am continually humbled by the user community, here.
I am still waiting for "the next big thing" - the Xoom was practically a gift, which is why I own one. But the ASUS looks very interesting, the Elocity A10 (if they ever release it) or the upcoming stuff from Malata.
I'm guessing that this slowness problem is mainly on Honeycomb / Nividia itself, so any Honeycomb Tegra 2 tablet would be slower than a GTAB/Adam, if it were released today. I'm confident that it will eventually be corrected.
As for the iPad2, anyone else find it interesting that they sold out so fast? That's not like Apple. I'm guessing that they were planning an April release but moved it up due to the Xoom release and now they've run out of the limited stock they had. All these companies play the same games.

I used a xoom today at bestbuy for about 20 minutes, in my short time, I found it too be very fluid and it flew, and the verizon signal was very strong, it was loading websites pretty much instantly. I bet if I owned a xoom it may not feel as good, but I can wait, for honeycomb. How is the battery life on your xoom?

murkurie said:
I used a xoom today at bestbuy for about 20 minutes, in my short time, I found it too be very fluid and it flew, and the verizon signal was very strong, it was loading websites pretty much instantly. I bet if I owned a xoom it may not feel as good, but I can wait, for honeycomb. How is the battery life on your xoom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was in the same boat when I demoed it - it felt fast and fluid in the store. But after I had it in my hand and could compare it with my GTAB, my impression changed a bit.
Of course some for of these apps (like Launcher Pro) could just be problematic on Honeycomb. But when I see Nenamark scores that are so drastically different, then I know something's up. And Quadrant, which is not all that reliable keep in mind, is clocking in at ~1900. That around the same score as the original GTAB stock used to be.
As for battery, definitely no complaints. I haven't done any hard scores, but it wouldn't surprise me if it's in the 6 to 8 hour range.

I am leaning more to ASUS transformer and the screen is stunning. I guess that I will sell it in ebay and wait for the transformer which is scheduled to release in April starting $399..
I can't agree more with on the subject of the ASUS transformer. Even after seeing the leak of Staples selling the WiFi XOOM for 599.00, I'm still holding off for the transformer. Specs looked better and I'm sure ASUS will do their best to release a bug free product. Been a huge fan of ASUS for yrs now so I may be biased...nah. They just sell a good product.

zahir32 said:
Thanks for the candid and professional assessment. We have perhaps reposed too much faith in Honeycomb without reckoning on its infancy. After all, Android 3.0 is a paradigm shift in the firmware's evolution, and such shifts only come right after a few iterations.
Makes me think that those company's launching new tablets still running Froyo may have a point...let the public get to know new hardware in a familiar milieu until the Honeycomb environment matures.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think this is an important thought maybe we should remember. Honeycomb was built new for tablets/Xoom while the rest stay with Froyo or Gingerbread. We've come to expect that each new release brings improvements to our devices, while Honeycomb really is a 1.0 release for tablets.

"Honeycomb really is a 1.0 release for tablets..."
Exactly my point, and well put.

roebeet said:
I was in the same boat when I demoed it - it felt fast and fluid in the store. But after I had it in my hand and could compare it with my GTAB, my impression changed a bit.
Of course some for of these apps (like Launcher Pro) could just be problematic on Honeycomb. But when I see Nenamark scores that are so drastically different, then I know something's up. And Quadrant, which is not all that reliable keep in mind, is clocking in at ~1900. That around the same score as the original GTAB stock used to be.
As for battery, definitely no complaints. I haven't done any hard scores, but it wouldn't surprise me if it's in the 6 to 8 hour range.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Roebeet - are there any tools or monitors to show what an Android system is doing? For example, are there threads that are consuming too much CPU or is the I/O system really busy for some reason ... stuff like that.

i'm not sure but did motorola put any overlays on honeycomb like they have with their android phones (cliq w/motoblur)? if there is, maybe that's whats causing it to be a tad slower.

jazzmanmonty said:
i'm not sure but did motorola put any overlays on honeycomb like they have with their android phones (cliq w/motoblur)? if there is, maybe that's whats causing it to be a tad slower.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, the Xoom is a pure "Google Experience" device which means it is completely vanilla Android, just like Motorola's original Droid was a "Google Experience" phone.

Video Chat and/or BT Tether?
Does Zoom have either a working Video Chat app or the ability to use a mobile phone's data service via bluetooth or tether? If yes, can either of these capabilities be copied into a future ROM for gTablet?

Not sure this post belongs in this thread but I expect to have a Honeycomb device late next week. I can post my impressions of Android 3.0 on a different tablet, if anyone is interested.
The tab is the Acer Iconia A100. I've been looking for a 7 incher that has some class, and this one looks to be it.
Honeycomb on a 7" capacitive multitouch display (1024 x 600 pixels), Tegra 2, Nvidia GeForce GPU, 5 megapixels camera, 2 Megapixels front-facing camera, 512MB RAM, 8GB internal storage, micro-SD card slot, 1080p, Dolby Mobile sound, Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi N, HDMI port, mini-USB and full-sized USB port.
Very nice form factor in a sleek minimalist design, as shown here:
http://gadgetian.com/8619/acer-iconia-tab-a100-specs-price/
A friend who's visiting Shenzhen, China, saw it (it's already released there) and asked if he should bring me one. For $296? Why ask?!

zahir32 said:
Not sure this post belongs in this thread but I expect to have a Honeycomb device late next week. I can post my impressions of Android 3.0 on a different tablet, if anyone is interested.
The tab is the Acer Iconia A100. I've been looking for a 7 incher that has some class, and this one looks to be it.
Honeycomb on a 7" capacitive multitouch display (1024 x 600 pixels), Tegra 2, Nvidia GeForce GPU, 5 megapixels camera, 2 Megapixels front-facing camera, 512MB RAM, 8GB internal storage, micro-SD card slot, 1080p, Dolby Mobile sound, Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi N, HDMI port, mini-USB and full-sized USB port.
Very nice form factor in a sleek minimalist design, as shown here:
http://gadgetian.com/8619/acer-iconia-tab-a100-specs-price/
A friend who's visiting Shenzhen, China, saw it (it's already released there) and asked if he should bring me one. For $296? Why ask?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's got a Tegra 2 - this device could potentially be more helpful with development efforts than a Xoom. That's assuming it actually has Honeycomb - I wonder how they managed that?
freddroid said:
Does Zoom have either a working Video Chat app or the ability to use a mobile phone's data service via bluetooth or tether? If yes, can either of these capabilities be copied into a future ROM for gTablet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't really tested either (I don't have a data plan and I don't plan on getting one). There's no video chat OOTB, tmk.

"It's got a Tegra 2 - this device could potentially be more helpful with development efforts than a Xoom. That's assuming it actually has Honeycomb - I wonder how they managed that?"
I wondered about that myself - but apparently it does have Honeycomb out of the box. I look forward to sharing my impressions.
Pricing over in Shenzhen gives you some insight into the mark-ups we suffer in the West. Consider these prices:
LG Optimus Pad 3D Touch Screen Android 3.0 Dual-core tablet PC USD$386
Toshiba 10.1 inch 64GB Android 3.0 Tablet With Nvidia Tegra 2 USD$399
ASUS Eee Slate EP121 4GB RAM 64GB SSD Windows 7 Tablet USD$499
Asus Eee Pad Slider keyboard 3G 10.1 inch 32GB tablets USD$356
Asus Eee Pad Transformer 3G 10.1 inch 1GB RAM 64GB tablet USD$356
Asus Eee Pad MeMO 7 inch 32GB Android 3.0 Tablet 1080p playback USD$266
Asus Eee Pad MeMO 7 inch 64GB Android 3.0 Tablet 1080p playback USD$299
Motorola Xoom 10.1 inch 64GB Android 3.0 Tablet USD$380
Blackberry Playbook 7 inch 64GB SSD Tablet USD$229
HTC Flyer 7 inch 1.5GHz Android 3.0 WIFI 3G Tablet Smartphone USD$309
Maybe XDA should charter a group flight to China?

Wondering.....
I heard that Moto released an update to the Xoom, and it bumped the Quadrant scores up nearly 30%. I was wondering if the update tightened things up a bit like VS did with the GTab.

zahir32 said:
Not sure this post belongs in this thread but I expect to have a Honeycomb device late next week. I can post my impressions of Android 3.0 on a different tablet, if anyone is interested.
The tab is the Acer Iconia A100. I've been looking for a 7 incher that has some class, and this one looks to be it.
Honeycomb on a 7" capacitive multitouch display (1024 x 600 pixels), Tegra 2, Nvidia GeForce GPU, 5 megapixels camera, 2 Megapixels front-facing camera, 512MB RAM, 8GB internal storage, micro-SD card slot, 1080p, Dolby Mobile sound, Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi N, HDMI port, mini-USB and full-sized USB port.
Very nice form factor in a sleek minimalist design, as shown here:
http://gadgetian.com/8619/acer-iconia-tab-a100-specs-price/
A friend who's visiting Shenzhen, China, saw it (it's already released there) and asked if he should bring me one. For $296? Why ask?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Weight 470 grams
battery runtime's gonna be short...
Elocity A10 looked nice UNTIL nvidia announce Tegra3 kal-el quad core w/NEON, and improved GPU... gtab will get me by until a realistically priced Tegra3 tablet shows up... (which rules out motorola, samsung, and asus(I'm surprised with these guys as their prices are usually great on notebooks for the specs)...)

"Weight 470 grams
battery runtime's gonna be short..."
A sharp observation. Much depends on whether this thing will come to me with the 3G module in or not. (That's not clear to me). If it's running network data, I'll have to disable that service to conserve juice - as people have done with their Sprint Galaxy Tabs. We'll see!
Don't blame you for waiting out the first wave of tech in 2011. I myself will retain my Elocity A10 pre-order up to the end of March. If it doesn't arrive by then, I'm cancelling and will turn to either the LG Optimus Pad or the Asus Slider.

I was given a xoom to use for testing at work a couple of weeks ago, and been hammering at it pretty hard.
There's only one thing about the xoom that I love and get jealous about, its not the screen, or even Honeycomb, its the 10 point multi touch.
Doing anything that uses more then one input seems to work so much smother. If there was someway to upgrade that on my tab running Vegan Ginger, I think I'd be in heaven.

[Q] Which tablet should I buy?

I'm currently thinking about buying a tablet, but I'm not certainly sure if should get one, and, if yes, which.
I'm planning to use it mainly for watching movies, surfing the net, playing some games and probably doing some office stuff on it (like e-mails, but also text documents etc.). Entertainment stuff is the main focus, the last one could be neglected...
The maximum I'd be willing to spend would be something around 400 Euros (by looking at the amazon.com store, it's like more or less exactly the same in dollars, without conversion... ) but less would be definitly better (off course, if a few bucks more make a huge difference, it would be also okay).
Concerning features, I would like:
The screen size should be 8" to 10", the bigger, the better
A USB port (which supports working as host) would be nice to have
The screen should be pretty responsive, and also with a rather high resolution
A front camera would be nice (doesn't have to have the best quality)
It should have a good CPU and GPU, so games and stuff run smooth
At least Android 3.1, an announced update to ICS would be much appreciated
some kind of SD card slot (or an other way to extend storage, an USB port counts )
As the CES 2012 is about to happen, and probably some new tablets are going to be announced, I am also open to tablets that are going to be released in January or February this year, as long as they are in my price limit.
Oh, and by the way, regarding this, are there already tablets on the way, which are wort waiting for?
I'd be very glad if you made it till here and also would leave a comment below
Best regards and I apologize for my bad english
Nascor
P.S.: Before I forget, one last question: Is it possible to put a 2,5" Hard Drive (powered over USB) to an Android tablet?
P.P.S.: Oh, and if it helps in any way, I own a HTC Desire.

nobody? :/

Acer Iconia A500 or A501

A little more expensive Motorola Xoom or Iconia A500.

Acer Iconia A500

wifi only or with 3g?

Just wifi is enough, if I really need 3G I can enable tethering...
The Acer one is certainly not bad, but I kind of don't like the design, but thanks.
I will have a closer look at the Xoom now...

Nascor said:
Just wifi is enough, if I really need 3G I can enable tethering...
The Acer one is certainly not bad, but I kind of don't like the design, but thanks.
I will have a closer look at the Xoom now...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After a search I would get the xoom for that price aswell so that's what i'm recommending too

Nascor said:
Just wifi is enough, if I really need 3G I can enable tethering...
The Acer one is certainly not bad, but I kind of don't like the design, but thanks.
I will have a closer look at the Xoom now...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I suggest to go into a shop and hold both in your hands.
First i liked the xoom alot better, but the iconia just feels so much better when holding it. The sound quality of the iconia's speakers is really astonishing.
The iconia has a normal sized usb port, the xoom doesn't.

Sony S Tab!?
Sent from my LT15i using XDA App

Dark3n said:
I suggest to go into a shop and hold both in your hands.
First i liked the xoom alot better, but the iconia just feels so much better when holding it. The sound quality of the iconia's speakers is really astonishing.
The iconia has a normal sized usb port, the xoom doesn't.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a real advantage over the others, I think I'll look at it in a store nearby in the next time...
The Xoom is said to be pretty unresponsive, and also, the SD slot seems to stop working occasionaly, is that true?
samuel109 said:
Sony S Tab!?
Sent from my LT15i using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
looks rather good, but are the 16 gigs enough for a bunch of games? The 32GB one is much too expensive, I think

there is Asus Transformer Prime, but it's 500 euros the 32 gig version.

I think 16gb is enough, plus you can just add an sd card if it isn't.
Sent from my LT15i using XDA App

Transformer Prime would be great for you.
10-inch display with 1280x800 resolution, Super-IPS
It has optional keyboard dock that has USB-port, so you can connect your hard drive, it'll recognize it as disk drive and you'll be able to view the hadr drive as a filesystem.
Front-facing camera is 1.2 MP.
Tegra 3 is the best for gaming and has a great GPU right now. CPU is great too.
Android 3.2 Honeycomb is coming with the tablet. There's an update to ICS coming (14-15 Jan)
SD-card slot + USB-port on the keyboard dock.
But costs 'a bit more' than you wish. About 585 Euros ^_^
So, I think that Acer Iconia Tab A500/501 is the best choice for you
Or you can watch at the original Transformer which costs about 350 Euros (16 GB)
Original vs Prime:
Screen (IPS vs S-IPS);
processor (Tegra 2 vs Tegra 3);
camera (5 MP vs 8 MP).
But you still have the USB-port on the dock, as well as the microSD card-slot.

Felimenta97 said:
there is Asus Transformer Prime, but it's 500 euros the 32 gig version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haven't found it anywhere for 500, it's mostly sold for like 599
samuel109 said:
I think 16gb is enough, plus you can just add an sd card if it isn't.
Sent from my LT15i using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, but as I read, you can't install apps and stuff on the SD card, it's threatened as an external hard drive (on the tablet s)
mirai0nikki said:
Transformer Prime would be great for you.
10-inch display with 1280x800 resolution, Super-IPS
It has optional keyboard dock that has USB-port, so you can connect your hard drive, it'll recognize it as disk drive and you'll be able to view the hadr drive as a filesystem.
Front-facing camera is 1.2 MP.
Tegra 3 is the best for gaming and has a great GPU right now. CPU is great too.
Android 3.2 Honeycomb is coming with the tablet. There's an update to ICS coming (14-15 Jan)
SD-card slot + USB-port on the keyboard dock.
But costs 'a bit more' than you wish. About 585 Euros ^_^
So, I think that Acer Iconia Tab A500/501 is the best choice for you
Or you can watch at the original Transformer which costs about 350 Euros (16 GB)
Original vs Prime:
Screen (IPS vs S-IPS);
processor (Tegra 2 vs Tegra 3);
camera (5 MP vs 8 MP).
But you still have the USB-port on the dock, as well as the microSD card-slot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Prime looks pretty good but also pretty (and probably too) expensive...the original Transformer looks also pretty decent, but as you need the dock for connecting an usb device, it's also like 499€, sadly
*quick edit* Feature wise the Xoom looks not bad, too. ~410€ for 32Gigs + 3G looks pretty good to me...gotta find some reviews

Yeah, I've written about the price of the Prime.
Xoom is too laggy... Maybe you should wait for Xyboard?

Even with the new update?
The xyboard hasn't a tegra 3, is it worth it though?
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

You wont regret getting a tablet. They are basically supersized phones, with a large and fun Android experience
-------------------------------
Sent from my HTC Desire S

Asus Transformer Prime
http://eee.asus.com/eeepad/transformer-prime/features/

julljus said:
Asus Transformer Prime
http://eee.asus.com/eeepad/transformer-prime/features/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sure, but as mentioned before it's hell-like expensive and so, rather not

Is the Huawei MediaPad 10.1 FHD the real contender?

After owning 2 units of transformer infinity myself and still keeping my eyes on the infinity forum and seeing so many people having issue with QC, I am start feeling that ASUS vs. (relatively poor reputation) Huawei may not be so different. In fact, Huawei may even be better as their specification seem to demonstrate they are trying to work hard getting their foot into the tablet market.
So for those of you who are still debating infinity vs. galaxy note 10.1, I say hold the thought and perhaps wait couple more weeks to see how Huawei's Mediapad 10.1 FHD plays.
Here is the specification:
Type
Type
Tablet
Platform
Operating System
Android 4.0
Transfer Rate
LTE Cat4 (DL 150Mbps / UL 50Mbps), DC-HSPA+ (DL 84Mbps / UL 42Mbps)
CPU
Cortex-A9 Quad 1.2GHz
Appearance
Dimension (H X W X D)
257.4 × 175.9 × 8.8mm
Weight
~580g
Display
Size
10.1-inch
Resolution
1920*1200 IPS
Camera
Camera resolution
Front: 1.3Mp (720p Video Calling); Rear: 8Mp AF (1080p Camcording), Dual LED Flash
Capacity
Memory
8 / 16 / 32 / 64GB options
RAM
1GB
Connectivity
Wi-Fi
802.11b / 802.11g / 802.11n
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 3.0
Entertainment
Video player
[email protected](MPEG-4 / H.264 / VC-1 / WMV-9), with formats of MP4 / 3GP / 3G2 / RM / RMVB / ASF / FLAC / APE / MOV etc.
Music player
MP3 / WMA / FLAC / APE / WAV / RA / Ogg / MIDI / 3GP etc.
Headphone
3.5mm stereo audio jack, 2*Stereo speaker, Build-in MIC
Location
Location
GPS/A-GPS
Sensors
Accelerometer sensor
Supported
Ambient light sensor
Supported
e-Compass
Supported
Vibrator
Supported
Battery*
Type
Li-Poly
Capacity
6600mAh
Pros:
+ Full HD screen (like infinity)
+ Quad Core CPU with 16 core GPU (like Note)
+ Optional dock (like infinity)
Cons:
- 8 GB storage (but official site says 16,32,64 will be available)
- Huawei (does not have good reputation, but ASUS in my opinion should lose its reputation soon)
- No S-pen
Question:
- Some sites says this got 2GB RAM, which would be awesome, but official site says 1GB RAM

Well, I don't see how a Cortex-A9 Quad 1.2GHz can drive that display and not experience performance issues. That is the problem with the true HD displays. The current mobile CPU's/GPU's simply are not powerful enough to drive them without problems.
Also, you lost me at "no s-pen".
Until the W8 Samsung devices with s-pen begin to appear, there will simply be no competition for the SGN10.1. And once they do begin to appear, they will likely be hundreds more.

I mean it looks like just another plain old 10" tablet . Not even running jb out of box. Not a contender if you ask me. Nothing is unique?
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

mitchellvii said:
Well, I don't see how a Cortex-A9 Quad 1.2GHz can drive that display and not experience performance issues. That is the problem with the true HD displays. The current mobile CPU's/GPU's simply are not powerful enough to drive them without problems.
Also, you lost me at "no s-pen".
Until the W8 Samsung devices with s-pen begin to appear, there will simply be no competition for the SGN10.1. And once they do begin to appear, they will likely be hundreds more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your primarily reason for getting Note was indeed S-pen, I totally agree. There is no competition. As far as W8 pen support, my understanding is they are only supported for Windows 8 Pro version NOT RT version. So all devices are just as you said in the price range of ultrabook, which are like $700-$1100. Then battery life on the upper end pro version is horrible (like Samsung Ativ Smart Pro), and heavy.
So Galaxy Note will remain of its kind for a while.
I personally love Note not because of S-pen but rest of its power. Stability and speed mainly.
As for Cortex 9 Quad Core, I don't think CPU is the issue. Remember new Ipad driving even higher resolution has only dual core with 1GHz. The difference is GPU. If you look at Infinity's benchmark, it is essentially superior in many tests over the new Ipad for CPU itself but GPU is far inferior. Galaxy' Note's Exynos is currently the closest to the A5X, but even then still far behind (but with current resolution, I don't think Galaxy Note need any higher GPU). So my hope on MediaPad is GPU, which uses 16 cores rather than 12 cores on Tegra 3.
But who knows. I had a hope on Transformer Infinity before its released... I had a hope on IFA for big announcement that could be my ideal machine (essentially what's galaxy note 10.1 is + FHD). But nothing came true so far... and now I am giving hope to reputation lacking company.

DJsCrIBbLe said:
I mean it looks like just another plain old 10" tablet . Not even running jb out of box. Not a contender if you ask me. Nothing is unique?
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally, I don't think uniqueness is a key at this point. My dream machine as I stated above is the android tablet that has Galaxy Note's 10.1's stability, speed, and FHD.

No Digitized pen = No contest
Sent from my GT-N8013 using xda app-developers app

Yeah, not really seeing how this is a competitor to the Note with no digitizer. Its a shot across ASUS' bow. On paper its a good one but how often are these Chinese "off brands" real competitors to name brand hardware in the long run.

The problem with these off brands is that while their top line hardware may be name brand they use cheap components. This just sounds like a "me too" product.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk 2

Vostok 7 said:
Its a shot across ASUS' bow. On paper its a good one but how often are these Chinese "off brands" real competitors to name brand hardware in the long run.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mitchellvii said:
The problem with these off brands is that while their top line hardware may be name brand they use cheap components. This just sounds like a "me too" product.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly. Read the below link which provides Anand's comments on some of the components Asus uses. If this is what the number four tablet maker is doing can you imagine what type of components Huawei being based in China will use? If Coby decided to move upscale and introduce a FHD quad-core tablet would anyone be excited? I wouldn't. Pretty on the outside doesn't mean pretty on the inside.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6073/the-google-nexus-7-review/6
Also, service and support have to be considered. Samsung pays roundtrip two-day shipping if a product needs warranty work with a door-to-door turnaround time of seven days. If parts aren't available they'll replace the device, usually with a brand new one. Read some of the stories on the Asus boards about their outsourced repair facility in TX. Who's going to service and support a Huawei device? Personally, I’ll stick with Samsung, HTC, Sony, and Motorola. I’ll skip LG, Acer, and Asus based on my experiences and observing the experiences of others. As for Huawei, you guys can be the beta-tester’s. If they end up rising like Hyundai has I'll check their products out in about five years.

The other thing with off-brands is when they put an OS on their devices, they do very little if any optimization for the hardware. So even if the hardware specs are good, they don't run as good as even a lower spec comparable name brand device.

Vostok 7 said:
The other thing with off-brands is when they put an OS on their devices, they do very little if any optimization for the hardware. So even if the hardware specs are good, they don't run as good as even a lower spec comparable name brand device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or worse, they create something like this. This is their new Emotion UI where they've ditched Google's app drawer and replaced it with their own.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
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http://thedroidguy.com/2012/09/huaweis-new-emotion-ui/

BarryH_GEG said:
Or worse, they create something like this. This is their new Emotion UI where they've ditched Google's app drawer and replaced it with their own.
http://thedroidguy.com/2012/09/huaweis-new-emotion-ui/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is actually very interesting. Whether good or bad aside, it proves huawei is doing something serious based in their belief. Just like touchwiz. I was actually more worried that they dont have capability of software tuning so release as non touched version of ics. Though small i am still hoping this would be the one until p10 releases in next year.

The number one reason this tablet will fail is that you'll never pick up chicks telling them you drive a Huawei.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk 2

mitchellvii said:
Well, I don't see how a Cortex-A9 Quad 1.2GHz can drive that display and not experience performance issues. That is the problem with the true HD displays. The current mobile CPU's/GPU's simply are not powerful enough to drive them without problems.
Also, you lost me at "no s-pen".
Until the W8 Samsung devices with s-pen begin to appear, there will simply be no competition for the SGN10.1. And once they do begin to appear, they will likely be hundreds more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not a contender:
1) Any FHD tablet is fundamentally a non-contender until the next generation of mobile GPUs. Quad 1.2 looks like they picked an el-cheapo CPU (maybe a lowend tegra3) and we know for a fact that can't drive FHD properly.
2) It's Huawei. Their hardware is decent, but their software quality is even more atrocious than Samsung and their support is HORRIFIC. Their response to USA customers who wanted Froyo on the Huawei S7 was "buy the S7 Slim". Mind you, the S7 Slim had half the bugs the S7 did (like orientation sensor having X and Y swapped which broke many apps). Also, it took forever to get them to comply with the GPL with the kernel. Seriously, even if you practically GIVE the Chinese something (Linux kernel), they'll still find a way to manage to steal it (Fail to release the source for their modified version).

Here is an Interview Video about the CPU and GPU:
http://armdevices.net/2012/02/27/hisilicon-k3v2-quad-core-40nm-arm-cortex-a9/

Anyone now start considering about Huawei Mediapad FHD?

When initially Mediapad FHD was announced, most of us said well it's Huawei. Bad reputation company... But with so many QC issue ASUS is having, I am start thinking ASUS is as good/bad as Huawei (well I actually never tried Huawei so maybe I should not say this..).
As far as the specification on paper, this unit could be equal or perhaps even superior to the Infinity.
Type
Type
Tablet
Platform
Operating System
Android 4.0
Transfer Rate
LTE Cat4 (DL 150Mbps / UL 50Mbps), DC-HSPA+ (DL 84Mbps / UL 42Mbps)
CPU
Cortex-A9 Quad 1.2GHz
Appearance
Dimension (H X W X D)
257.4 × 175.9 × 8.8mm
Weight
~580g
Display
Size
10.1-inch
Resolution
1920*1200 IPS
Camera
Camera resolution
Front: 1.3Mp (720p Video Calling); Rear: 8Mp AF (1080p Camcording), Dual LED Flash
Capacity
Memory
8 / 16 / 32 / 64GB options
RAM
1GB
Connectivity
Wi-Fi
802.11b / 802.11g / 802.11n
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 3.0
Entertainment
Video player
[email protected](MPEG-4 / H.264 / VC-1 / WMV-9), with formats of MP4 / 3GP / 3G2 / RM / RMVB / ASF / FLAC / APE / MOV etc.
Music player
MP3 / WMA / FLAC / APE / WAV / RA / Ogg / MIDI / 3GP etc.
Headphone
3.5mm stereo audio jack, 2*Stereo speaker, Build-in MIC
Location
Location
GPS/A-GPS
Sensors
Accelerometer sensor
Supported
Ambient light sensor
Supported
e-Compass
Supported
Vibrator
Supported
Battery*
Type
Li-Poly
Capacity
6600mAh
There will be attachable keyboard with extended battery option.
The key specification here is CPU/GPU. Despite slower CPU clock speed it has better GPU (at least core # wise). This is like Exynos chip that Samsung has. Simply looking at New Ipad its CPU is mere 1GHz Dual Core, but GPU is where its power is. If you look at Benchmarks Android tablet beats CPU power but GPU power is far inferior. Exynos chip on SIII and Galaxy Note 10.1 comes the closest but yet far away. But considering how stable Galaxy Note 10.1 is (even on ICS), the stability must be coming from the memory (2GB) or GPU or maybe Nand (perhaps combination of all). So if mediapad does it right, it may function better overall than the Infinity, which definitely has some bottle neck somewhere.
I am not saying the MediaPad FHD would for sure be superior, but as Infinity having so many issues, giving a try on MediaPad FHD might not be a bad idea.
*Too bad MediaPad FHD gave up on 2GB memory as originally planned.

No because:
1. Huawei doesn't get dev support, ASUS gets some.
2. 1.2 ghz vs 1.7 ghz
3. 1 GB of RAM is the same
3. Not IPS+
Yes because:
1. Questionably better quality control

Keion said:
No because:
1. Huawei doesn't get dev support, ASUS gets some.
2. 1.2 ghz vs 1.7 ghz
3. 1 GB of RAM is the same
3. Not IPS+
Yes because:
1. Questionably better quality control
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
#1 is probably big on tech savy people which I guess majority of people on XDA.
#2, again I don't know much importance. Exynos on Galaxy Note 10.1 is 1.4 GHz but essentially equivalent Atuntu score and actually overall more smooth/stable than the Infinity (when infinity is performing at its peak with tweaks, I think it can match but not consistent and definitely not for everyone)
#3, I don't know why Huawei dropped this... It originally had 2GB RAM
#4. Hmm... Even with IPS+ under the direct sunlight I still had difficulty seeing and inside, I don't need IPS+, so for me IPS+ was never needed option.
Now for QC, never knows but with current QC track record of ASUS I am seeing, I cannot imagine any company could be much worse than that.
I think key Yes. here (Potential) is "16 core GPU."
But again who knows... I'm just throwing this here because I really want to have FHD tablet.... but cannot go back to Infinity until the ANR after ANR issue gets solved..
P.S. I never found Keion that interesting... but I know it is extremely highly rated anime.

HoushaSen said:
#1 is probably big on tech savy people which I guess majority of people on XDA.
#2, again I don't know much importance. Exynos on Galaxy Note 10.1 is 1.4 GHz but essentially equivalent Atuntu score and actually overall more smooth/stable than the Infinity (when infinity is performing at its peak with tweaks, I think it can match but not consistent and definitely not for everyone)
#3, I don't know why Huawei dropped this... It originally had 2GB RAM
#4. Hmm... Even with IPS+ under the direct sunlight I still had difficulty seeing and inside, I don't need IPS+, so for me IPS+ was never needed option.
Now for QC, never knows but with current QC track record of ASUS I am seeing, I cannot imagine any company could be much worse than that.
I think key Yes. here (Potential) is "16 core GPU."
But again who knows... I'm just throwing this here because I really want to have FHD tablet.... but cannot go back to Infinity until the ANR after ANR issue gets solved..
P.S. I never found Keion that interesting... but I know it is extremely highly rated anime.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
H-how dare you insult my favorite anime!
Joking aside, the main reason for instability on the infinity are the FHD screen (which the mediapad shares) and the IO issues (which the mediapad does not have).
Also wanted to add the infinity has a 12(+?) core GPU.

Keion said:
H-how dare you insult my favorite anime!
Joking aside, the main reason for instability on the infinity are the FHD screen (which the mediapad shares) and the IO issues (which the mediapad does not have).
Also wanted to add the infinity has a 12(+?) core GPU.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope fhd is not the issue but it could be... if so, until next generation cpu gpu combo comes, the issue will not be solved.. infinity has 12 gpu cores and note has 16. So gl benchmark of note is the best of all android tablets still behind new iPad.
I liked bakemonogatari though.

Never heard of 'em...

no
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using xda app-developers app

Not buying cheap chinese knockoff. Almost no Chinese company I knows of has the ability to perform effective QC like the Taiwanese/Japanese/American companies do.
The closest one I can think of is Lenovo and their line of computers are still a long way from the old Thinkpads of yore (the corporations who stopped using thinkpads are a clear indication of that).

Funny considering that all iPhones and iPads are made by a Chinese company.
Huawei is fast becoming one of the largest telecom companies in the world.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2

clenz said:
Funny considering that all iPhones and iPads are made by a Chinese company.
Huawei is fast becoming one of the largest telecom companies in the world.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's a difference between manufacturing and quality control.

Well Huawei, is still quite unknown, but the latest phones were not that bad.
I just don't understand why they wait so long to release their products. For example the new quad phone was announced for April? and still nothing. Now they have to fight against s3,hox and soon Note 2 and I phone 5,which is pretty hard.
For the pad is the same. Against note 10.1, tf700 and "new", ipad-I don't really so a chance. Well prove me wrong.
Nevertheless I will take a look at it, just to compare.
Gesendet von meinem ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T mit Tapatalk 2

Stop spamming OP.

tschulieh said:
Well Huawei, is still quite unknown, but the latest phones were not that bad.
I just don't understand why they wait so long to release their products. For example the new quad phone was announced for April? and still nothing. Now they have to fight against s3,hox and soon Note 2 and I phone 5,which is pretty hard.
For the pad is the same. Against note 10.1, tf700 and "new", ipad-I don't really so a chance. Well prove me wrong.
Nevertheless I will take a look at it, just to compare.
Gesendet von meinem ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T mit Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True. But with its reputation, only way huawei can prove is when compared to more known brand. Otherwise, most would simply dismiss by saying but tf700 is coming soon... I really like fhd so hope either this or tf700 next update is the answer.

I'm thinking about the Mediapad FHD.
A combination of the lack of 3g support on the Infinity & Asus' stupid pricing in the UK means I will be looking at other options.

Actually, after returning my TF700 after a few days (freezing , light bleed, ands creen input Issues), I now think the way to go will be the new Microsoft Surface or some other Windows RT tablet , assuming they can get developers to create bunches of apps like Android and Apple (But I remember that app creation started off slow for both these platforms as well - Do you remember how few Ipda apps there were at the beginning) Hardwarewise it is a gamechanger. If you get a chance, watch the keynote video on it. I don't think QC will be an issue - I think it will be Applelike detail, but with a system that allows expandability via USB and sd, which is what I want, as well as that new keyboard. We are so close to release now that it would be a mistake to jump into another platform without at least seing what is released.
I really wanted to have Aius work for me but after 2 failed attempts (Prime and Infinity) I give up.

dknotty said:
I'm thinking about the Mediapad FHD.
A combination of the lack of 3g support on the Infinity & Asus' stupid pricing in the UK means I will be looking at other options.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well UK will get MediaPad before US so hope to see some review from there.
Actually, after returning my TF700 after a few days (freezing , light bleed, ands creen input Issues), I now think the way to go will be the new Microsoft Surface or some other Windows RT tablet , assuming they can get developers to create bunches of apps like Android and Apple (But I remember that app creation started off slow for both these platforms as well - Do you remember how few Ipda apps there were at the beginning) Hardwarewise it is a gamechanger. If you get a chance, watch the keynote video on it. I don't think QC will be an issue - I think it will be Applelike detail, but with a system that allows expandability via USB and sd, which is what I want, as well as that new keyboard. We are so close to release now that it would be a mistake to jump into another platform without at least seing what is released.
I really wanted to have Aius work for me but after 2 failed attempts (Prime and Infinity) I give up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Windows 8 tablet is definitely interesting player. But based on the recent IFA Berlin, I feel like their target audience is slightly different. Here is why.
Windows 8 RT
This is more of direct competition to Android Tablet & iPad. But just as you mentioned, it will likely to take sometime before app market catches up with that of iPad or Android. Both had phone background so though they weren't initially optimized, they had enough application from get go. Whereas, Windows 8 the biggest advantage (could have been) was to use all Windows software poool, which RT does not allow and instead asking programmers to create Metro specific applications. So question is how long will it be? 6 months? 1 year? No RT tablet that is announced thus far have neither FHD screen nor inductive pen capabilities i.e. lacking main selling features of Infinity or Galaxy Note 10.
My guess is by the time the Metro market matures, there will be so many more RT tablet with cheaper prices, and of course better specs. So personally, RT is a pass.
Windows 8 Pro
Samsung Ativ Smart Pro actually have phenomenal spec with FHD, pen support, and support for all windows applications. However, its battery life is mere 5 hours DVD playtime (Infinity claims 9.5 hours and in my real life use I get only 5-6 hours, so who knows what 5 hours really become). The weight is quite heavy.
At this point, I feel like if Samsung really releases P10 Android Tablet, that would be the one but given such recent release of Galaxy Note 10.1, new tablet won't probably come for at least 6 months.
Certainly interesting time for tablet.

I bought the TF101 a long time ago, and after reading about the tf700, I've come to the conclusion that Nvidia Tegra sucks. I still can't watch movies at full frame rates on my TF101. Also the whole I/O problem really annoys me. However, software wise, Asus rules. Fantastic support for the tf101. Also, from what I read Tegra 4 may change things.
I bought a Huawei U8800 about the same time as the TF101. Hardware was pretty good, especially for the price. Software (especially OS optimization and updates) was terrible to say the least.
I'm not sure which tablet I want to buy. If Asus was using a different (read: better) processor than the Tegra 3, there would be no question. But I felt kinda burned on the Tegra 2 and the I/O situation. If the mediapad is significantly cheaper, I may go that route.
Also, I don't really use custom roms and dev stuff, so I don't factor that in. However, from my experience with the U8800, China has a huge dev community, and The XDA developers are aware of it and borrow from and work with them. So you will get some decent dev community support with Huawei, not as much as with Asus though.

[Q] ASUS 16GB Transformer tablet (TF300T-A1-CG) Vs 32 GB Nexus 7

Hi Guys,
Need a quick advice.
I am planning to buy a tablet and was pretty sure I will buy 32 GB Nexus 7 for $249 till I saw this post today
http://www.groupon.com/deals/gg-asus...ab=o&c=all&p=1
$269 for an ASUS 16GB Transformer tablet (TF300T-A1-CG) Vs $249 for Google 32 GB Nexus 7.
Nexus Pros:
Better Display
Latest OS
32 GB storage on board
Google brand
Nexus Cons:
No extended storage option
7 inch display
Transformer Pros:
10 inch display
Extendable Storage
Keyboard Option
Price
Transformer Cons:
Not the latest and greatest
Inferior Display
Might not get future OS upgrades
I am pretty which one to buy.
Any help\advice would be great.
Prady

praddz said:
Hi Guys,
Need a quick advice.
I am planning to buy a tablet and was pretty sure I will buy 32 GB Nexus 7 for $249 till I saw this post today
http://www.groupon.com/deals/gg-asus...ab=o&c=all&p=1
$269 for an ASUS 16GB Transformer tablet (TF300T-A1-CG) Vs $249 for Google 32 GB Nexus 7.
Nexus Pros:
Better Display
Latest OS
32 GB storage on board
Google brand
Nexus Cons:
No extended storage option
7 inch display
Transformer Pros:
10 inch display
Extendable Storage
Keyboard Option
Price
Transformer Cons:
Not the latest and greatest
Inferior Display
Might not get future OS upgrades
I am pretty which one to buy.
Any help\advice would be great.
Prady
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you've nailed all the pro and cons (also the 7 is slightly faster as it mounts faster ram and flash chips so less I/O problems), I dont see exactly what we should say more about that.
go in a store that keep both and try them, if you feel the '300 bigger screen is more usefull or the 7 better portatility - is just your personal need and tastes that matter.

i already have a galaxy s3 for on the go things.
this would be something like an alternative for laptop, watching movies and daily stuff after coming home..
yes i think nexus is faster and will be the first and sure one to receive any future updates.
I am not sure about tf300 though..
NixZero said:
you've nailed all the pro and cons (also the 7 is slightly faster as it mounts faster ram and flash chips so less I/O problems), I dont see exactly what we should say more about that.
go in a store that keep both and try them, if you feel the '300 bigger screen is more usefull or the 7 better portatility - is just your personal need and tastes that matter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Get the Transformer. The Nexus will always be $249.00.
Soon you'll want them both anyway, LOL. I've got a T300 and an HTC Flyer (a 7" tablet like the Nexus 7) and I'd hate to have to choose between them.

If you need laptop replacement, transformer with no doubt. But I would also consider Nexus 7 if you're looking for something you can easily carry with.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using xda app-developers app

I have them both. My wife uses the nexus and I have the Asus. I like them both. The necks is slightly faster but I can use my smart phone for a handy device. I like playing games on the Asus cause it is bigger. A game like dead trigger gives you a lot of real estate to play. Although when I bought my wife the nexus 7 I thought about selling my Asus and getting another nexus. I am just going to root my Asus and flash a custom ROM.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using xda app-developers app