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Pls enlighten this Android newbie

Hi all,
Am a newbie to Android tablets/devices both in terms of hardware and software. So if my post is posted in the wrong thread or reposted pls pardon me. I just want to understand a few basics.
As you all may know, now the market is being flooded by those Chinese made Android tablets. And many of them looks good (at least on paper) and at a very good price. But the problem is most of the time when come to chinese goods, they don't usually do what they claims (if you know what i mean). and the best part most of the salesperson don't know anything about the products they are selling especially when comes to tech gadgets like the Android tablets.
So here i am seeking help from you gurus and hoping i can start my Android journey on the right step. Below are a few questions. Hope I can get answers (links to somewhere where i can read up or anything).
1. What are the conditions (CPU make, firmware, etc) to fulfill if i wan to upgrade/root/hack the original Android OS? Cos most of the chinese made tablets are running on Android 1.5. Hoping to be able to upgrade the OS whenever a newer one comes out. Like the latest 2.1 And be able to download new apps from the apps market.
2. Which CPU chip is better and what are the common CPU chips in the market now? I know there are the Rockchips, VIA, Telechips.
3. Can we tell what are the hardware (CPU make etc) and software (OS/firmware version, etc) that are being used in the device from the system setting or something?
4. I read somewhere that not all CPU chips can be upgraded to the latest OS. i.e. that any upgrade is determined by the CPU chip. Is it true?
5. As for custom ROM, is it also device dependable? Like is there a generic ROM for all devices?
For now these are the questions which are bugging me. Hope the gurus here can enlighten this Android newbie.
Sorry for the long winded post and thanks for any help.

Hmmm. Just check that it is upgradable to froyo and it has more than 500mhz cpu
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App

if you are looking for a tablet just get an ipad. the android tablets i see floating around are just 1.5 or 1.6. even if you get a tablet that can do 2.2 (froyo)... i dont see how that can be any better than an ipad.
i just feel that 2.2 isnt meant to be in tablet form. if you can wait... wait for 3.0 before you decide. the main deterrent here is the maximum resolution for android (854 x 480 or something), and that the apps were made with phones in mind.
im very happy with my nexus one... i just cant imagine having a tablet running android as of the moment unless its very very cheap ($200 or so).
i for one will get an ipad next month. my nexus one with wifi tether + the basic wifi ipad will be gadget heaven. looking to get an ipad primarily for reading magazines (zinio) and comic books. android does not have zinio yet. the android comic viewer (ACV) i use on my nexus is ok... but not great. then theres the games. games on android are still so so with less variety and choices.
as a phone the android is great! better than the iphone (yes im an apple user through and through) even. but as a tablet... not quite yet.

Hp is going to release a tablet so is samsung with 2.2
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App

Hopefully start seeing some of these 2.2 tablets in the 3rd Quarter...

Pad buying

I am wanting to buy a good touch pad I know this is an amadeus forum and lots of pads out there run android but my question is which one should I go for touts the best one it don't have to be android based either.
I have seen lots of android pads and there is a windows
7 pad out and also the one that can be put on a keyboard dock and used like a laptop or the blackberry play book which also looks good
What's your opinions thanks
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA Premium App

I am also planning to buy an Android Tablet between October to X-mas.
There are 3 tablets on my wish list (I have not made up my mind yet):
1. ASUS Transformer (keyboard dock possible)
2. HTC Flyer (7", Sense)
3. Archos 80 G9 (7", 250GB HDD, reasonable price, coming in September)

Is android definitely the best os to have on a pass or is the blackberry play book or the windows pad better in any way?
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA Premium App

BB Playbook? If you have a BB device then it worth considering but I will not buy a playbook since it needs a working BB device in conjunction, which I do not have and do not intend to buy.
Windows...meh!...Win 7 is not suitable for tablets in my opinion...

So do you think I should look at the android ones as I am already used to working with android with my htc desire?
Why is windows no good on tablet pc?
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA Premium App

Right now, I see only 2 good alternatives for tablet: an Android tablet or an iPad.
Main reason not to go with Windows 7 tablets: all those icons, drop down menu, etc. those are not comfortable to be operated on tablets.
Windows 7 is heavy, and therefore needs more powerful hardware hence more expensive tablets or you have to live with slugish performance.

[Q] What`s better for office purpose?

Hi, I am new in this forum I`d like to know what is better for office purpose (print documents and wrinting) a Blackberry Playbook / Samsung Galaxy Tab 7" /Future Acer Iconia Tab for 2013, having to use it like document editing,printing ,sending plataform?

PontiacGTX said:
Hi, I am new in this forum I`d like to know what is better for office purpose (print documents and wrinting) a Blackberry Playbook / Samsung Galaxy Tab 7" /Future Acer Iconia Tab for 2013, having to use it like document editing,printing ,sending plataform?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would consider a nexus 7
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium

Surely a Microsoft surface would be best .....
Sent from my Incredible S using Tapatalk 2

vizzy said:
Surely a Microsoft surface would be best .....
Sent from my Incredible S using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've heard they're having issues with the magnets for the keyboard separating from the tab.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium

Think is that I`d get it under 190$ and must be compatible with printers via wifi at least

and I forgot to mention that I am limited to store that accept foreign:venezuelan credit card

PontiacGTX said:
and I forgot to mention that I am limited to store that accept foreign:venezuelan credit card
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
bump?

Really depends on what you are wanting to do ...
Well, they all have their strengths and weaknesses.
Blackberry Playbook
+ works with BB phones, can use with corporate email (via the BB phone), bundled control software is pretty good, good battery life, native email client in os2
- doesn't have SameTime (if you use with BB phone), proprietary software to manage it, not very flexible unless you root and side load, limited apps
Android tablets
too many variants but it has alternative office apps and I think office 365 will be ported to android, so you can get the same editting as on a standard win PC on an android (or close enough for most purposes). It is flexible and depending on the app, can be really a mobile PC.
http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-office-coming-to-android-and-apple-devices-in-early-2013-7000005563/
For me, I would probably go with an Android, of which would be tossing up a Galaxy Tab, Nexus 7 or a padphone. The idea of the padphone is pretty cool, however, a friend of mine had one and he gave that one away after a month, as keeping the pad part of the phone handy wasn't so handy but for me, I would like to have a single mobile device so that I wouldn't need to constantly sync between.
Also, I like flexibility of the Android system and the amount of apps there are for it. Currently running Win 8 on a china tablet, Android on a Lenovo ThinkPad (gift) and had an IPad (gift). Out of all of them at the moment, I use the Lenovo the most (second to my phone).

[Q] What's better ? tablets

Hi
I want to buy a tablet but don't really know which is good i found lenovo a3000 and asus memo hd7 quite good but which is better ? or maybe you know better ones for the same price ? i'm looking for a tablet on which i'll be able to play some better games, ips screen, 3g modem is not required , sd slot, 7"

tablet better

By looking side by side looks like the Asus has slight advantage.
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/compare/Asus-MeMO-Pad-HD-7,Lenovo-IdeaTab-A3000/phones/7868,7739

Asus memopad would be the better choice

I think ipad mini
Sent from my Best mobile ever using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

There are 3 threads devoted to discussions about devices, please repost your question in one of these three threads: The what should I buy thread or the The Device Suggestion Thread or the The Device Comparison Thread.
Thanks!

[Q] Do we need / want a seperate board zone for the Nvidia Shield Tablet ?

I personally do !

Yup.

Ditto.:good:

While they share the same features the Tablet has substantially different hardware and therefore should defiantly get its own board.

Hardware is vastly different. We very much need our own board.

Yeppers

Yes I do

There must be another way to get devices added. The Galaxy alpha got a board added without all the requests the Shield tablet got.
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

YES, it's a must.

Yup
Tapatalk

Yes, it's own board (or at least have a Shield board with separate categories for each Shield device).

I haven't been on XDA for a bit. I just purchased the shield tablet and decided to see what the people here had to say about it and how happy they were with their tablets. I was very surprised to find that there was not a specific section for the shield tablet. Not only did it not have its own section, it doesn't even have its own subsection in the game consoles and handhelds section. Seriously? Everyone and their brother that has even heard of this device knows that it is first and foremost a tablet. it does everything a tablet is supposed to do. so why doesn't it have its own section like the lg g pad or the galaxy tab s? most if not all of the other tabs could add a controller and call it a gaming device. I think its silly not to have a dedicated section for this device and I hope it gets taken care of soon.

Can we ask a mod/admin to open a separate forum.

Once they realize how successful this tablet is even with all the problems like WiFi and cracked edges they will open a separate forum
I am waiting patiently for the 32gb version to be released hopefully all the issues will be resolved or revised if not at least the low storage won't be the reason to not keeping it
This is and will be the most powerful tablet of 2015 why because everyone is jumping to the Super high resolution wagon not realizing it's not necessary and that makes no sense other than competing with other companies I am glad Nvidia pick this resolution and aspect ratio because the shield is easy to use and media looks perfect on it
At the same time I am bummed out they didn't developed an attachment controller to make this the perfect gaming device wii u game pad and vita killer but at least other companies are working on that and ipega already have one out hopefully is good to make the shield a perfect experience
this is the ipega http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe35iqKY5to
and website where I order from http://www.dx.com/p/ipega-9023-blue...pod-ipad-samsung-htc-more-337604#.U_HzK2NCiSo
+1

+1
I'm truly astonished that XDA has not added a forum for us

Even the Tegra Note 7 has it's own forum...
+1!

shoulda named it the tegra note 8 huh

Looks like one was created
http://forum.xda-developers.com/shield-tablet

interesting. can't see it on the mobile app.