Hi, guys
I need to buy a 'box' style (not stick) android device to use with surveillance cameras. These android devices are amazing, and really cool, but Amazon/Newegg is filled with reports of them dying after a few weeks or months. Given the application, I would like to get the most reliable device I can identify.
I'm shying away from the 'stick' format because I'll be making some of these for family. A 'stick' style device doesn't fit in my TV's HDMI ports, and they are more easily damage by mishandling (heavy cords or twisting when inserting or removing).
Right now the first device on my list is the Minix MX5 or MX5 'mini'. Dual core is fast enough for my needs, and I would rather keep the price below $100.
What other devices should I be considering?
Is there any reason I should *NOT* be considering a Minix solution?
Thank you!
Related
Hi,
Having had my Samsung GS2 for a few months now, I would really like a lot of the functionality on my coffee table.. the ability to do some web surfing on a larger screen, check emails, etc. But, of course, I don't want to spend a fortune!
So, I was wondering what gotchas I need to look out for around the cheaper end of the market for 7-10" tablets. It seems there are some dirt cheap no-name ones available.. like under £100?!
Many seem to run quite old versions.. do I need to care what version of Android it is running? Can I always just disregard the OS that it comes installed with and instead put on the latest Cyanogenmod or similar build instead? Is Cyanogenmod relevant to tablets? From what I understand of this, it's current core is Gingerbread, and I'm not sure I understand whether that supports tablets and their larger resolutions, or whether Honeycomb is the correct path. Is there a similar project to Cyanogenmod but aimed specifically at tablets?
I'd probably expect a Wi-fi-only model.. my thinking is, if I was away from home with it and wanted a mobile data connection, I could just tether my SGS2?
I'd like to be able to hook up to a TV via HDMI to play films - is that quite a regular feature of these devices, or would I need to look carefully for one with HDMI out? Is mini-HDMI just a small connector / converter lead?
I guess what is confusing me right now is the quite wide range of prices I'm seeing.. some tablets are around the £100 mark or even less (think I saw a Hanspree the other day), while many are up at £300+. Does that reflect the next gen hardware, i.e. Ghz-and-up and dual cores?
TIA,
JJ
Dude, Not a exactly match for the price range, but I suggest you the Dropad A8. Multitouch capacitive, It is fast, has mini hdmi output, usb host (where you can plug a 3g modem, gps or rj45 adapter). It is able to play every movie (rmvb even) and game I put on it
VOTING SORRY IT WAS MISLEADING ( VOTE YES! FOR HELPFUL) ( VOTE NO! FOR USELESS )
First of all Not sure if this is where it should be i thought putting this in off topic was too far from the point and reading through other threads it didn't seem to fit anywhere, Anyway i'll post it here anyway i would like to think most people on this website would appreciate this and see if i have to valid points and some cool things to show you maybe.
I would firstly like to start with some cool Android game consoles being developed by a company called JXD http://www.jxd.hk/ they're other companies doing this (not as good and more expensive) in my opinion but i'll supply information for you do to your own researched at the bottom of this thread.
Anyway This is the newest console released the S7300 just released a day ago it's quite amazing system and extremely cheap ( older models if you have a budget to test these out starting as low as $20 - $40 USD) This latest one is about $150 it's android the specs are listed here
As you can see the device has possibility for some good gaming and a start to some innovative ideas and maybe bigger companies creating devices similar to this.
What is the point?
Well i was a huge user of my Xperia play and Galaxy s3 which i recently sold for a Android iphone 5 rip off mainly because it looked good worked great and was light enough to go jogging without it annoying me, but this gave me a lack of gaming which i love about my android mobile so i decided to look for an android gaming device it took an hour or so but i found hundreds some on ebay some on random websites, after separating the over priced devices and the ones with poor design and bad hardware i found a website or 2 with the device i was going to purchase, and after looking all day i found there is a good start to this android gaming, but how come it hasn't set off bigger or faster yet, i find it a shame.
What to do?
Well many may disagree but this is the only website i use for anything remotely android related, but i was thinking if XDA could add apart of the forum for unpopular devices such as these underground branded ( Non rip off android devices and the emerging gaming android console and devices ) to increase the speed it picks up i believe if we have people talking about it more and helping sharing in customized apps themes etc... it might help set off the community to use it more which may encourage developers to add more support.
I mean Why Not! we have tablets but everything seems to be big brands Sony, Samsung, Apple, Nokia, i thought this was a website for unlocking your device for better use and doing things with it the majority of us think is "Cool".
I might add more later But for now i'll leave some links to a few devices i looked through and website to purchase or compare prices for your curiosity.
Developer jxe website all their devices are listed there but no purchasing options but good to get the names to Google
Another product i thought would be good to mention just for the hell of it if you go jogging like me or like high quality sound with less wires and cheap at the same time would be to purchase a MW600 it's a Bluetooth headset and you just plug your headphone into it and it connects wirelessly to you phone.
http://www.willgoo.com/ - This website seems to sell any modded gaming android devices from all the companys making them at the moment at the cheapest price and a vast collection to choose from.
The latest device out is http://www.willgoo.com/jxd-s7300-du...ons-8gb-p-306.html?referrer=CNWR_771331638507
Reason i liked this among the rest?
for one the touch screen isn't the out dated touch resistant most others use.
First to have an actual dual analog joysticks! and not like the xperia play with the stupid touch slide which i found tedious after a day of use.
2 back buttons and simple nice thin design.
highest resolution offered.
and does say it has 3G i don't know if it's via a sim card or it means through wifi tethering with another device who knows but i'm happy either way
another product i thought would be good to mention just for the hell of it if you go jogging like me or like high quality sound with less wires and cheap at the same time would be to purchase a MW600 it's a Bluetooth headset and you just plug your headphone into it and it connects wirelessly to you phone.
Unmarked android phones.
I'll list a few android phones i think are semi decent and can be cheap and stilll good looking on a budget here is the top 2 websites i trust and can be cheap if you search well
eForChina and Dhgate
These 2 websites have plenty mobile phones people could check out at a cheap price, the one i purchased because i wanted a decent phone that runs android but looks like an iphone 5 is zophone 5
It's a little more steep in price than the others but i managed to get it for £120 off ebay but its light and does what i need it to do.
Done more research the website most china branded (unbranded) mobiles are released to http://android-sale.com/
this website's most famous brand seems to be the goophone for the iphone 5 android clones but they also make some really good unique none clone designs packing quad core 2gb ram models, would be good if you're looking for some unique designed phone you won't see any friends using.
That thing looks slick. Will do more research.
Yeah it would be nice to see games compatible
liamguest said:
Yeah it would be nice to see games compatible
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It has a dual core mali 400, and a dual core a9 clocked at 1.5, it should run most games other mali 400 devices run. I pre ordered one and now waiting for it. I hope it gets popular enough to have a community and a few custom rom builds. It has quite decent specs for emulation(main purpose its being promoted for) and should run almost every game on the android market. The main issue with JDX devices is battery life (is why I hope for custom roms), but the device claims to come pre rooted, you can see pictures of it supposedly having play store support, so if a community does surge for it it could be as popular as the kindle in terms of a dedicated community interested in custom android builds that support better battery use and remove some of its bloatware. im replacing the free 8g card ill get for pre ordering with a 32(64 if it takes it) card and have a decent 40gig snes/ps1 emulation device with touch controls that will let me do the basic things i do on my phone. Since i plan to tether it from my phone, I'm aiming to keep my phone pocketed the whole time, Headset calls, redirect texts to the JXD, and play/browse on the 7 inch screen so if a call comes in my gaming wont be interrupted something that ruins some games that reboot when a call comes in.
Maybe Padone 2 ? over 7k mAh, four core etc... Nothing but fine gaming devices with possibilities
They should make a special section in the forum for JXD Devices. Especially for developers that wants to help with making the device easier to use.
Sent from my HTC Rezound 4G LTE Smartphone
I own a local store which has about 35 stands for each product, and me and my team want to run slideshows (picture+video) in each one.
My guess is that I should use tablets.
Why tablets?
a) Slideshows needs a software to run them. Displays are just displays.
b) KODI (XBMC) app is a good option, as each Kodi would also run a Samba server and I could send the media I need to play to each one from one computer.
c) I looked for digital photo frames, but they don't support any kind of networking, and the few ones I've found are as expensive as tablets.
My questions are,
1) Is it fine if they are connected to AC power all day 24/7? Our local is opened 24hs. Should I take off their batteries? I don't know if tablets are prepared for that purpose.
2) Is there a difference between generic tablets and Samsung Galaxy Tabs 3? In fact, I really don't need high-end tablets, I just need to run the slideshows. But my only fear is the device-life.
supernova18 said:
I own a local store which has about 35 stands for each product, and me and my team want to run slideshows (picture+video) in each one.
My guess is that I should use tablets.
Why tablets?
a) Slideshows needs a software to run them. Displays are just displays.
b) KODI (XBMC) app is a good option, as each Kodi would also run a Samba server and I could send the media I need to play to each one from one computer.
c) I looked for digital photo frames, but they don't support any kind of networking, and the few ones I've found are as expensive as tablets.
My questions are,
1) Is it fine if they are connected to AC power all day 24/7? Our local is opened 24hs. Should I take off their batteries? I don't know if tablets are prepared for that purpose.
2) Is there a difference between generic tablets and Samsung Galaxy Tabs 3? In fact, I really don't need high-end tablets, I just need to run the slideshows. But my only fear is the device-life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. I remember reading an article about keeping smartphones plugged in for long periods of time after they reach 100%. From what I can recall, it stated the batteries inside phones and tablets, even most laptops, are designed in a way where once they reach 100% capacity, the device will run directly off the electricity of the charger, rather than the battery's charge. This prolongs the battery's life and, quality, and you should have no problem leaving then plugged in for long periods of time.
2. You would certainly be fine with the Galaxy Tab 3, really any tablet model would do the job. It really depends on how much you're willing to spend for the quality of the display. A larger tablet provides a larger screen (obviously), just making is more appealing to a customer! But sure a larger screen will cost you more. More expensive tablets typically have higher resolutions. PPI (pixels per inch) come into effect. You'll notice a more visually appealing experience if you buy into tablets high a higher resolution, or more PPI.
Basically, any tablet will.. Do the job. You will be able to run slideshows just fine with literally any tablet, you do not need to worry about that. It's just up to you to decide how much money you're willing to spend for how high quality you want the display. The Tab 3 will work just fine, but it's display is, in my experience, mediocre. But then again, that's my opinion for the tablet's entertainment side, if I needed to use it for a simple slideshow, it would do the job just fine.
I'm unsure what your budget is, but here are some examples (As a new user, XDA won't let me post direct links, you will have to google/amazon them manually)
))- The Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 has a phenomenal screen at 8.4 inches it's probably the perfect size. 359 PPI - $220 on amazon.
There are tons of different android tablets, and many different Samsung variations, listing the ones I would consider competitive for your needs, I would be listing 10 Samsung tablets alone. When researching the perfect tablet, make sure you consider Price, Screen Size, and PPI. For simple slideshows, the RAM, Processor, and other internals really won't make a difference.
Wow, really thanks for your feedback.
I read something about that battery intelligence when connected to AC power yeah, but I was wondering how long could tablets live turned on permanently.
It's not the same thing if I should change tablets every 2 months or every year.
supernova18 said:
Wow, really thanks for your feedback.
I read something about that battery intelligence when connected to AC power yeah, but I was wondering how long could tablets live turned on permanently.
It's not the same thing if I should change tablets every 2 months or every year.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any well know brand will last you well over 2 months. Plugged in endlessly may sound risky, but in my opinion, they should last years, even if plugged in all day every day.
By well known brand, I mean something like a Samsung, Motorola, etc, because you can find some seriously cheap android tablets for extremely cheap prices, but they don't even have a name brand. The boxes just say "Android Tablet". Stay away from these. Go with a Samsung, Asus, Motorola, Sony, etc.
Another tip, a very important tip, use the standard USB cable and USB Brick Wall Adapter that come bundled with your tablets. If a cable becomes worn or breaks, I highly recommend purchasing one directly from the original manufacturer.
You certainly will not have to replace them every couple months. Depends on the tablet, but any name brand should last you at least a year in my opinion, as long as you stick with the original charging cables and wall adapters, and take good care of them. (If the tablets are prone to direct sunlight all day long, this will overtime have an impact on the device, most likely screen discoloring. As long as they're inside at average room temperature, you should be good with the tablets for a very very long time.
Sure I'm some random person giving you advice, and it's ultimately up to you to believe what I say. My posts have been a mix of facts and opinions, so do take that into consideration. I'd like to include I've been an android device owner for about 4 years, and I've owned about 11 different android phones, and 7 different android tablets. I root them and install custom ROMs, I use android devices every single day, and I would consider myself more knowledgeable with android devices than the average android user.
Hello, I've been on the market for something to replace my Nexus 4, which I use much like an Ipod touch, in the respect that I only use it on wifi and wont attach it to a cell service provider. I'd appreciate your input on what phone to get.
I'd like as many hardware features as possible, for a price range of 400 bucks maximum. The Essential phone, and Motorola Z2 play and Force are a few I had in mind. The Essential phone is missing a good camera, and I'm skeptical about Motorola after watching my dad try to navigate their horrible customer service. They killed his phone with an update and sold him a dud as a replacement, although some of the mods add functionality Id be interested in if you guys can recommend one they won't patch-kill.
I tend to use my device for a number of things, but virtually never as a phone. It just happens that nowadays most android devices that are small enough to carry in my pocket are garbage if they weren't designed with the functionality of a phone in mind. Past devices I've bought and liked are the Toshiba Thrive 10.1 and Nvidia shield portable, offering on board ports for HDMI and etc without adapters. I can live with using Type C adapters for a more pocketable device however. I like compatibility with other devices for data transfer or flying a drone, controlling LEGO Mindstorms, etc. I have not rooted devices for fear of ruining them, but if there is such a thing as "as close to being rooted without being rooted", I'd be interested.
Please note that I need these features:
*Android OS, preferably Oreo and better, pure android or better preferred
*USB OTG, type C plug, 3.1 for using an adapter to turn it into a workstation via HDMI, USB and ethernet ports added on.
*NFC for editing nfc tags
*Good camera for everyday pictures but also close up pictures of LEGO models in particular
*64 GB storage minimum, 128 and/or expansion preferred.
*1080P screen or better. I can live with or without whatever weird notch or bezel thing.
I can live without these but if they happen to be there then all the better:
*Headphone jack
*Fingerprint reader
*Water resistant/nanocoating
*Wireless charging
I've checked out XDA's recommended phones, but it seems their recommended phones cap off at the 250 dollar price range and without my preferred 128 on board storage or are missing NFC or something, unless I'm missing a separate "up to 400 bucks" article. They are all surely a vast improvement to my Nexus 4, but significantly under my budget while missing some things I'd prefer. I'm hoping I can just spend a bit more to hit more of my marks.
Thank you for your time and input!
Update/Bumping
Added more info on my preferences to original topic, I found out USB Type C 3.1 is what I need if I want to use an adapter to use a dock to give it Ethernet, HDMI out, keyboard and mouse support, etc.
Someone suggested the Nokia 7 Plus, a very good candidate though it has USB Type C 2.0, which supports data transfer OTG but not a work station dock. Still have to keep the 7+ in mind, has some good features despite this.
Hi everyone. I have bought several tablets on these last five years. Windows tablets, android tablets (i don't like apple devices, to me they are a very expensive mini atari), but all them have ended for reciclying, or at least as battery donators. I must admit two things: First, I like to modify my devices, to fiddle around my devices, if I find something that I don't like on it. And second, and maybe the most important, I always try to buy the cheaper, or better the device with the better price/quality ratio that I can aford.
I live in south america, and as you know, here money is not so fluent, so easy to get, as in Europe or North america... you know... so please don't judge me.
So, relative to those two conditions, I want to ask you ¿Which tablet do you recommend me for buying? I mean, as we say in Colombia, a device: good, cute and cheap.
I know i'm being cheeky, but also I want a cheap durable tablet. I owned a lenovo yoga 2 windows tablet that I loved, i had not to make any modification on it, but its own desing was its doom, because it had a turnable tab on its bottom that acted as tablet stand. That tab was designed also, to harbor inside of it, the battery, and happened that everytime it turned, internally that tab, teared slowly the battery's ribbon cable. As result any day, it just didn't want to turn on any more. With my last tablet, I needed to root it, and possibly by an excess of plugging and unplugging by trying to root it, its usb port got broken.
¡Anyway!... The fact is I'm conscious that a cheap tablet (and repeat; I mean cheap at southamerica level) , means generally low quality components; but anyway i want to ask you if you have had any tablet with all those charateristics (durable, easy to custom, cheap and a big screen), and that very possibly had make you happy because of that. ¿Or sadly the quest for the "perfect" tablet is a trial-error process?(with the respective big loss of money)
Thanks for your attention and thanks in advanced for any answer.