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Help me choose a smartphone for my mother

OK, I never thought I would be writing a post like this but the time has come, my mother is moving from her Nokia 2630 phone, that does not ring any more and wants something that can have some dictionaries installed on.
I am a long time user of smart phones, but I always stuck to WM. My mother sees my HD2 and she wanted something not as big, but with some extra futures.
So, after carefully thinking about this I have decided that an Android phone would be best for her. WM is too complicated, and I have read some nice things about android, even though I have never played with one. It looks simple, and I have high hopes that with a phone like that my mother will learn how to send SMS (she never adapted to the numerical keyboard that phones for writing). But she can write a SMS on my HD2, so I hope Android should be the one.
My mother does not need a Nexus ONE or a Samsung Galaxy S.
Something a bit smaller would be better for her, and does not need the 1Ghz horse power for what she will be doing on it, which should be:
a) make and receive calls
b) hopefully SMS and e-mails
c) listen to her mp3 dictionaries, is learning French at the moment
d) wants to have installed dictionary on her phone, so she does not have to carry heavy dictionaries with her
e) Bluetooth sharing files
f) take some pictures
I wanted a not very expensive phone, which I am going to buy from eBay probably.
I was thinking HTC Hero, HTC Magic (I do not even know what the difference between these two phones is). But I was thinking about something with the 528Mhz and a bit of RAM so that it works smoothly enough for my mother to playfully learn how to use.
Thank you all for your help.
PS: I have no clue about other Android phones that are not made by HTC, so if you think that other brand is more suitable for her, I have no problems of buying it.

Good guy~
I agree that Android would be much more suitable for her than WM.
I think what you should mainly care is the phone's camera cause the need of "take some pictures"..
I just know this..

i just envy her so much, even now. Loved reading ur post.

i think
nokia express music
is ok for her

Thank you all for your replies, but if someone could suggest to me an Android phone or at least what is the difference between Hero and Magic, and which one gets more support from the community, it would be very helpful to me.
albarona1 said:
i think
nokia express music
is ok for her
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I though about Nokia, but symbian is such a strange OS, my mother would probably just stick to phone calls and pictures. It is good to listen to music, but I am not sure if there are many French dictionaries for symbian.
Besides that I kinda like the Android community here, so it would be easier for me to buy her one, and if she needed anything, I could solve the problem quickly and easily with all your help off course.
Thank you once again.

The craigslist flashers

These guys annoy the living hell out of me. You go to look for a new phone and there's 10 people trying to flash phones for a fee to every 1 person selling a phone. So I took it upon myself to post a short paragraph giving information to help people avoid wasting their money and to learn something all at the same time.
So look forward to a flock of noobs
Good idea or bad? I'm not so sure if I should link my post to this thread...

I know what you're taking about. I also see it everyday. But the thing is that even though flashing a phone might be an easy task for you and I, that's NOT the case with the vast majority of society. In most cases, it may not be the case of ignorance, but instead a major case of sheer laziness.
I mean think about it, let's say cooking for example: Cooking even the very basic chicken noodle soup is really not that hard. There are PLENTY of FREE recipes out on the internet, books, mags, etc etc. I mean it's so easy that you can just dump a can into a pot and heat for 5-10 mins, but yet people will still go out and pay someone else to make them chicken noodle soup.
*NOTE* Just to be clear, I was just using it as an example and was NOT comparing the simplicity (or complexity) of flashing a phone to cooking chicken noodle soup.

Also the fact that these guys are turning other peoples hard work into a business for themselves pisses me off even more. I'd imagine with knowing human nature that these guys haven't contributed a single cent to the people who made all of this possible.
They've damn near made rooting and flashing dummy proof so I'm going to try to compile a tutorial on craigslist that will enable the most novice computer users a way to do it for themselves.
The biggest problem is that a couple of the programs require users to have xp which a lot of people have already converted to win 7...
btw I make one hell of a chicken soup

It would be neat to see a pop up screen cooked in the rom that would pop up 24 hours after flash. But the pop up would be clearly known by any user that obtained the rom from an xda dev. The pop up could read "If you paid someone to install this on your bla bla bla......".
But in the end they are called knock off artists. How do you police the distribution of altered copy written material.
good day.

You obviously can't get rid of the "knock off artist", but you can educate the layman's if they're willing to put forth a TINY bit of effort.
Maybe this is all pie in the sky

If you hack a Nintendo Wii to install the Homebrew channel it pops up a warning that if you paid anyone for this, you were ripped off.

Counter Point
I hadn't heard of this, but it doesn't surprise me. Actually, I don't get what's wrong with it.
There are many people who pay someone to load a Windows upgrade on their computer. Heck any computer repair shop will do it for a fee.
They didn't write the OS, and they're often not charging for the OS, just the service of installing it. And installing an OS is, to me, much easier than flashing a ROM.
Some people just have other things to do like work, pay the rent, etc. They might not have the time or interest. Now, if they're actually CHARGING for the software, that's different.
Cooking chicken soup may be easy, but people still go to restaurants.

The G-Tablet has ruined my life!

In a good way
This is the most game-changing piece of equipment I have had since I built my first PC from mail-order parts in the early 80s. I sincerely believe the G-Tab is the best-kept tech secret going today, especially with the efforts of all the nice folks here at xdadevelopers.
Some background: I am a VP for a tech service company and run some pretty powerful iron for the company so I have high standards for performance. I just don't have time to sit and watch hourglasses and "loading" pages all day.
When I decided I wanted to take the plunge into "tablife," I spent plenty of time reading reviews and forum posts and then found this website. After lurking for a week or so, all I read told me this was the tab for me. So I got one.
The rest is history. After doing all recommended stock updates and deciding "yeah, this really is a potential jewel," I went ahead and got root and then flashed the enhancement pack. I had no external SD card until last night, so I will be doing the REAL flashing this weekend some time. I have to say though, the enhancement pack and addition of (a working) marketplace makes all the difference in the world. I may even run it this way for a while.
But now my days are filled with searching for the elusive "perfect app" to replace the Windows one I use on my regular PCs and laptops. Thank god for this place and all the resources of the web - I think I will be able to do everything I need to with this.
Of course, now I have to have a keyboard/case and docking station and any other possible peripheral I can jam onto it!

I empathize with you totally! Since I got a Gtab, my poor ipad has seen very little use...

Rarley use a pc anymore....
Sent from my VEGAn-TAB-v1.0.0B5.1 using Tapatalk

I use my gtab for daily web browsing but I still feel it is lacking something for my daily use. For example, entering comment to the xda forum is too slow using my gtab, as I still use my laptop for blog, etc. Otherwise, I think that I put my laptop to rest.. forever.

nunjabusiness said:
In a good way
This is the most game-changing piece of equipment I have had since I built my first PC from mail-order parts in the early 80s. I sincerely believe the G-Tab is the best-kept tech secret going today, especially with the efforts of all the nice folks here at xdadevelopers.
Some background: I am a VP for a tech service company and run some pretty powerful iron for the company so I have high standards for performance. I just don't have time to sit and watch hourglasses and "loading" pages all day.
When I decided I wanted to take the plunge into "tablife," I spent plenty of time reading reviews and forum posts and then found this website. After lurking for a week or so, all I read told me this was the tab for me. So I got one.
The rest is history. After doing all recommended stock updates and deciding "yeah, this really is a potential jewel," I went ahead and got root and then flashed the enhancement pack. I had no external SD card until last night, so I will be doing the REAL flashing this weekend some time. I have to say though, the enhancement pack and addition of (a working) marketplace makes all the difference in the world. I may even run it this way for a while.
But now my days are filled with searching for the elusive "perfect app" to replace the Windows one I use on my regular PCs and laptops. Thank god for this place and all the resources of the web - I think I will be able to do everything I need to with this.
Of course, now I have to have a keyboard/case and docking station and any other possible peripheral I can jam onto it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since you're in mgmt in a tech Co., and now that you've experienced the Gtab, it'd be interesting to try to leverage tech like this in the 'real world's!
Jim

Yeah it will probably ruin my marriage.

cbmoore9 said:
Yeah it will probably ruin my marriage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL.....I had to get one for the wife too so it wouldn't ruin mine!!

cbmoore9 said:
Yeah it will probably ruin my marriage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do what I did, buy one for wife too. Lol!

cbmoore9 said:
Yeah it will probably ruin my marriage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh boy...
ditto

I'm new to Android, new to rooting and new to modding. I've had my GTab for about two weeks now, and during that time I've read just about every page in the GTab development forum on xda, on Android Forums, on Droidpirates and any other GTab site I could Google (I'm 73, retired, and have lots & lots of free time).
Thanks to the dedicated devs and other helpful members of these sites, and following their instructions and advice, I've gone from knowing absolutely nothing about Android to developing the confidence to successfully flash the TnT enhancement pack, TnTLite 4.1, and currently VEGAn 5.1. This within a period of two weeks; all ran fine with no issues at all--except the well-documented ones that are constantly being tackled and solved.
In these posts, I've watched the evolution of this machine from its perception as a near useless piece of crap at its introduction to its present state as the best tablet on the market today, bar none; one that will go head to head with the best to come this year.
It's really exciting to see these talented devs get down into the heart of this tablet and coax it into becoming all that it's capable of being; it's almost like being present at childbirth. The most exciting part is that we all get to participate in this birth. And now, the pace of development is picking up even more, and our devs are branching out into new territory; I can hardly wait to see what magic they'll perform next!

snarful said:
I'm new to Android, new to rooting and new to modding. I've had my GTab for about two weeks now, and during that time I've read just about every page in the GTab development forum on xda, on Android Forums, on Droidpirates and any other GTab site I could Google (I'm 73, retired, and have lots & lots of free time).
Thanks to the dedicated devs and other helpful members of these sites, and following their instructions and advice, I've gone from knowing absolutely nothing about Android to developing the confidence to successfully flash the TnT enhancement pack, TnTLite 4.1, and currently VEGAn 5.1. This within a period of two weeks; all ran fine with no issues at all--except the well-documented ones that are constantly being tackled and solved.
In these posts, I've watched the evolution of this machine from its perception as a near useless piece of crap at its introduction to its present state as the best tablet on the market today, bar none; one that will go head to head with the best to come this year.
It's really exciting to see these talented devs get down into the heart of this tablet and coax it into becoming all that it's capable of being; it's almost like being present at childbirth. The most exciting part is that we all get to participate in this birth. And now, the pace of development is picking up even more, and our devs are branching out into new territory; I can hardly wait to see what magic they'll perform next!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well said!

cbmoore9 said:
Yeah it will probably ruin my marriage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My son is in first grade and just learning to write... when learnlng the B he had to write some lines with arbitrary words... the whole last line was:
"Tablet tablet tablet tablet tablet"
Does that mean his life's ruined now as well? At age of 6...

At work I manage service tickets, and download drivers.
At home I surf the web, check sports scores, and manage rpg characters

Yep, the Gtablet is the first thing I see in the morning before getting of bed, read the news. Wife is jealous, but she does not know that I have one for her also.
By the way, if anyone is interested, for your hd video, I get silky smooth playbay of video out of the Sanyo HD2000a camcorder by converting it to the mkv [email protected] bitrate, 1920/1080, mp3 audio. All my camera recordings are at 1920x1080 60fps.

Mikeg1969 said:
LOL.....I had to get one for the wife too so it wouldn't ruin mine!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
astevens54 said:
Do what I did, buy one for wife too. Lol!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I feel your pain (in the wallet), see my sig below. At first it was cute hearing "are the birds angry", "can I have the tablet to play Angry Birds", etc. But I realized I was getting less and less time with it. It replaced my iPod Touch and a Netbook, both sitting lonely now.

Using GTab for Business

I haven't read many posts that actually describe how people use their GTabs. I have the impression that most people are using them for entertainment. I need to use mine for business purposes, mostly because all of my colleagues are using iPads but I couldn't bring myself to join Appleland. I'm still wondering if I made the right decision.
Anyway, what I did to make this work for my day to day needs is the following:
1. Installed Clockwork Mod to reset the partition as people in this forum have written.
2. Flashed NVFlash which removed Clockwork Mod and put me back into stock mode. I assume (but don't know for sure) that it preserved the partition sizes.
3. I added the Stock Enhancement mod listed elsewhere in the forum.
4. I added the Market Fix which is listed here elsewhere too.
5. I added Documents to Go which costs a few bucks but seems to be the best product for creating, editing and viewing Microsoft documents, PowerPoints, etc. I also use this on my DroidX.
6. I added Touchdown by NitroDesk which costs a few bucks too but is what I'm using on my DroidX to keep my mail synced with my office Exchange server.
7. I added the Kindle application because I think it's the best for tablet, plus I use it on my DroidX too and it allows multiple devices to be configured to a single account, letting me share my books with myself on these 2 devices.
8. I put my DroidX in Hotspot mode when I need a wireless connection and none is available or what's available costs too much. The GTab connects to it without a hitch so it's almost like having built-in 3G.
9. I have a Freedom Universal Bluetooth keyboard that I got for my DroidX which also works fine with the GTab. To be redundant, I also have a silicone USB keyboard which works fine with both devices too.
10. I have the dock so I can situate the tablet more conveniently but I have to say I don't use it much as it doesn't have a charging capability and the leather case I got from iTSteve (www.electroniccrap.com) puts it in a similar position and looks professional.
This seems like a lot of changes when I list them but they really were pretty easy to put in place and they allow me to do everything others do with their iPads.
I have concluded that nobody will ever catch up with the iPad in terms of users as they had more than a full year headstart on all competitors and grossed something like $20 billion in sales. But my GTab can do all of the things the iPad can do and more and more quickly. People complain about the GTab's screen but it's been like anything else I have in that I just position it so I can use it properly and I'm all set. It doesn't seem to be a detriment.
If there are other business users reading the forum who have figured out other ways they can use their GTab as laptop and iPad replacement, I'd be happy to read their postings here.

There are several threads including mine that talk at length about using our gTabs in a professional setting in this forum. I have a monster Dell Covet laptop with maxed out specs that I use at the office. Trouble is the fact the laptop and power adapter weigh in at around 30 pounds and taking it on business trips was wearing me out. So I started to leave my laptop logged in at the office and access it remotely from my gTab using LogMeIn Ignition when on business trips. So far this has worked great for me.
One thing I forgot to add was that the company issued me an iPad and the only time I use it is when my wife and I take the kids out with us to eat. It has Netflix which our gTab does not (without paying for PlayOn) and my little boys LOVE Shaun the Sheep.

I have a very similar setup.... Almost exactly the same as the first post. I also use logmein. The only thing I don't see posted is that I use sticky notes.... A LOT.... To remind myself what I promised to my clients once I get back to my office.
I love the fact that I have mobile hotspot in my pocket and with an m1 case from electronic crap.com, my gtab looks like I'm carrying a nice leather journal. My clients are always a little surprised when I open it up and flip it on to take notes....
Best 360 bucks I've spent in quite a few years.

Nokia as a wireless hotspot
Citrix for RAS into client work sites
Notion Ink Quick Office and Mail'd (and keyboard) - thanks to Gojimi

+1 for similar setup. Except I use noteverything. It lets me type, sketch a note or make a voice note all from a clean looking 4X1 widget.
Also, if you haven't tried it, find the galaxy tab mail client apk in a thread in apps and themes. It's the best email client I have ever used because it is totally centered around juggling multiple email accounts.
I deal with a lot of PDF documents and am using adobe from the market to view them. It is the best app I have found for working with large files. It is just lacking the ability to make drawn notes on the PDF such as circling, highlighting, blackking out. If I could do my revision remarks and editing from my gtab... damn I really would not need to use my work computer again, no seriously, ever
Sent from my Chromatic Magic using XDA Premium App

What are the options for connecting to exchange? I don't think the galaxy or Adam apps support it. How does touchdowns tablet interface work?
Sent from my UPC300-2.2 using Tapatalk

MSU_Sparty said:
I haven't read many posts that actually describe how people use their GTabs. I have the impression that most people are using them for entertainment. I need to use mine for business purposes, mostly because all of my colleagues are using iPads but I couldn't bring myself to join Appleland. I'm still wondering if I made the right decision.
Anyway, what I did to make this work for my day to day needs is the following:
1. Installed Clockwork Mod to reset the partition as people in this forum have written.
2. Flashed NVFlash which removed Clockwork Mod and put me back into stock mode. I assume (but don't know for sure) that it preserved the partition sizes.
3. I added the Stock Enhancement mod listed elsewhere in the forum.
4. I added the Market Fix which is listed here elsewhere too.
5. I added Documents to Go which costs a few bucks but seems to be the best product for creating, editing and viewing Microsoft documents, PowerPoints, etc. I also use this on my DroidX.
6. I added Touchdown by NitroDesk which costs a few bucks too but is what I'm using on my DroidX to keep my mail synced with my office Exchange server.
7. I added the Kindle application because I think it's the best for tablet, plus I use it on my DroidX too and it allows multiple devices to be configured to a single account, letting me share my books with myself on these 2 devices.
8. I put my DroidX in Hotspot mode when I need a wireless connection and none is available or what's available costs too much. The GTab connects to it without a hitch so it's almost like having built-in 3G.
9. I have a Freedom Universal Bluetooth keyboard that I got for my DroidX which also works fine with the GTab. To be redundant, I also have a silicone USB keyboard which works fine with both devices too.
10. I have the dock so I can situate the tablet more conveniently but I have to say I don't use it much as it doesn't have a charging capability and the leather case I got from iTSteve (www.electroniccrap.com) puts it in a similar position and looks professional.
This seems like a lot of changes when I list them but they really were pretty easy to put in place and they allow me to do everything others do with their iPads.
I have concluded that nobody will ever catch up with the iPad in terms of users as they had more than a full year headstart on all competitors and grossed something like $20 billion in sales. But my GTab can do all of the things the iPad can do and more and more quickly. People complain about the GTab's screen but it's been like anything else I have in that I just position it so I can use it properly and I'm all set. It doesn't seem to be a detriment.
If there are other business users reading the forum who have figured out other ways they can use their GTab as laptop and iPad replacement, I'd be happy to read their postings here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Was using mine as a business tool before I loaded firmware 5.0 aka brickware on to it. Now I have a flashlight that throws me the bird when I turn it on.
Avoid 5.0 brickware, I fell for the Viewsonic firmware line thinking it was a mere UI enhancement, driver and other hardware component tweak instead beta crapware. I've been computing along time and never had a piece of firmware brick a device.
Hopefully when the store I bought it from gets it back they aren't able to unbrick it. My c-panel info was in it for easy access along with other proprietary info. G Tab had turned out to be quite a good business tool. Notice I used pass tense. It's done because of firmware lol 5.0.

It is not fair you blame 5.0. No one forces you to update to this ROM, and there are a lot of warnings in the first post of the thread.
I understand you are frustrated but Devs are doing a great job and at the end allowing us to have a Gtab usefull for business
BR

First of all it said "firmware" not rom. I do know the difference and it said exactly "viewsonic firmware update." Before I touched it I read the entire post. I wasn't looking to change my rom, however, firmware is something different. It usually enhances the use-ability of the product. This is not my first rodeo.
Not frustrated--pissed. Let me know when you are beta testing on me. Don't wrap it in another blanket and expect me to feel cozy. Some of the post do say "experimental or bleeding edge." Everyone gets that.
Now I have to take the brick back to the store I got it from and get another. I was smart enough to get their extended warranty plan.

ecejdt said:
It is not fair you blame 5.0. No one forces you to update to this ROM, and there are a lot of warnings in the first post of the thread.
I understand you are frustrated but Devs are doing a great job and at the end allowing us to have a Gtab usefull for business
BR
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FYI not mad at the devs, I walked right into that door. On my new one I won't be. Whatever is on there is what I will be using. This was a learning experience. I emailed them about being a little clearer on what they are offering up. Some people here may not be able to eat the cost or go get another one under warranty.
I'm pissed because I had it nicely tweaked as a business tool. This was the last thing I would have expected as a result of a firmware update. Knowing it was a ROM I would have optioned out.

I am using VEGAn 5.1.1 and it has the android exchange sync built in unlike the stock rom. I was using Docs to go but switched to Quick office due to the dropbox access and Docs to go does not use my headers in my bid forms correctly and Quick office does. I use Synctoy to sync my docs to Dropbox so I can get them on my Evo or my Gtab.

opnsrcaddict said:
What are the options for connecting to exchange? I don't think the galaxy or Adam apps support it. How does touchdowns tablet interface work?
Sent from my UPC300-2.2 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TouchDown offers either automatic push or manually initiated synchronization between your device (GTab, Phone, etc.) and the Exchange server. It uses whatever connection you have--WiFi or 3G or other. Obviously on the GTab, it's WiFi.
You have all of the typical options available to treat what happens on your GTab as independent from the desktop, superior, subordinate or totally synced. There are tons of options for notifications and display settings too.
There are 2 specific reasons I got Touchdown. It supports pinch and spread to change the size of email text and you can mark appointments as private. Neither of those options exist on the standard mail client--which I think is a pretty stupid omission. Whether it's really worth spending money on, I don't know but it's worked for me.
If you visit the Nitrodesk web site, you can read more details about the product. They let you try it out for 30 days for free with all functions turned on. After that, you have to delete or purchase the unlock key.
Good luck.

edirector said:
FYI not mad at the devs, I walked right into that door. On my new one I won't be. Whatever is on there is what I will be using. This was a learning experience. I emailed them about being a little clearer on what they are offering up. Some people here may not be able to eat the cost or go get another one under warranty.
I'm pissed because I had it nicely tweaked as a business tool. This was the last thing I would have expected as a result of a firmware update. Knowing it was a ROM I would have optioned out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aren't you the same guy who basically threatened this website for being 'Rude'. that you would post about your experience here on your 'High traffic website' and complain to viewsonic??
Quite frankly, you should learn to take a little more time and *READ*. You should *START* with the title of the thread ... you know... where is says '[STICKY][ROM]...'
/Rant
Then you can move on to the fact that this is an enthusiasts and development site. Not VS customer service. nor is it the official repository for any VS software. if you can't be bothered to read all of the instructions and warnings of toying with these devices, then don't blame anyone but yourself.
I would venture to say that nearly everyone on this board had bricked or screwed up their device in one way or another. We did so knowing of the possibilities, and in nearly all cases, we read up enough on the process to fix it.
/Rant

Wow... talk about a thread hijacking.
Now back to the OP's post. I could link up my corporate Exchange account with the default mail client in VEGAn b5.1.1 but in the end I decided not to on the gTab as this allows the corporate admins to access your gTab remotely "for security purposes". I did set the corp Exchange account on my Droid X though. And even though the company issued me an iPhone 4 (along with the seldom used iPad) I can't deal with that small screen on the iPhone after I've been using my Droid X with it's much bigger screen.
As for Steve at electroniccrap.com, he has been a great source of gTab accessories and I plan on buying one of the new "clip" style folio cases when they arrive. Even though it's white it seems like a really elegant case on par with cases for iPads.

edirector said:
FYI not mad at the devs, I walked right into that door. On my new one I won't be. Whatever is on there is what I will be using. This was a learning experience. I emailed them about being a little clearer on what they are offering up. Some people here may not be able to eat the cost or go get another one under warranty.
I'm pissed because I had it nicely tweaked as a business tool. This was the last thing I would have expected as a result of a firmware update. Knowing it was a ROM I would have optioned out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not to hijack further, but by "them" he meant me. So I will respond here, since I hadn't seen this thread until just now.
I think my post is VERY clear. I do use firmware and ROM interchangeably, that's true. Firmware is probably the better name, but the bottom line here is that this is not an official Viewsonic update, it's a altered firmware where you are taking the risk and there is no guarantees that something might not go terribly wrong. I state this clearly in my TNT Lite post, so in all honesty I don't know what else you would have liked me to do other than just pull TNT Lite completely.
I'm sorry to hear that your device is bricked and you cannot get it fixed. But if you've been reading the posts from the last several days I've probably spent more time on supporting TNT Lite than supporting my day job. So when I hear comments that I'm not making my TNT Lite post clear enough, I just have to scratch my head. There are a lot of very smart users on the board and they have been able to help ME out when my own knowledge is lacking, such as with Windows 7 nvflash instructions. My first post is long, but it's long for a reason and when I wrote "If you have any doubts, please consider holding off instead of just throwing caution to the wind" and "Use At Your Own Risk", I don't know how much clearer you want it than that.
It seems like your beef is that calling this a ROM makes this more risky than calling it firmware, in your eyes. I couldn't disagree more. If we want to nitpick on wording, firmware usually resides in a ROM and altering it is ALWAYS a risk (even from a supported vendor). They usually make you agree to that nice big EULA before you proceed, for example. ROM is more hardware based but I've used it interchangeably given how it's worded here in XDA. TNT Lite really doesn't replace the ROM, it is a firmware change - bootloader, kernel, system etc. But again, that doesn't mean it's not risky.
I'm a sysadmin - I update firmware all the time on servers. Don't tell me it's not risky because HP would disagree with you - they have redundant firmware built into their servers because sometimes things go wrong. If you don't want to take on any risk, please do not use my alternate firmware when you get that GTAB replacement - you might want to just stick with stock.

roebeet said:
Not to hijack further, but by "them" he meant me. So I will respond here, since I hadn't seen this thread until just now.
I think my post is VERY clear. I do use firmware and ROM interchangeably, that's true. Firmware is probably the better name, but the bottom line here is that this is not an official Viewsonic update, it's a altered firmware where you are taking the risk and there is no guarantees that something might not go terribly wrong. I state this clearly in my TNT Lite post, so in all honesty I don't know what else you would have liked me to do other than just pull TNT Lite completely.
I'm sorry to hear that your device is bricked and you cannot get it fixed. But if you've been reading the posts from the last several days I've probably spent more time on supporting TNT Lite than supporting my day job. So when I hear comments that I'm not making my TNT Lite post clear enough, I just have to scratch my head. There are a lot of very smart users on the board and they have been able to help ME out when my own knowledge is lacking, such as with Windows 7 nvflash instructions. My first post is long, but it's long for a reason and when I wrote "If you have any doubts, please consider holding off instead of just throwing caution to the wind" and "Use At Your Own Risk", I don't know how much clearer you want it than that.
It seems like your beef is that calling this a ROM makes this more risky than calling it firmware, in your eyes. I couldn't disagree more. If we want to nitpick on wording, firmware usually resides in a ROM and altering it is ALWAYS a risk (even from a supported vendor). They usually make you agree to that nice big EULA before you proceed, for example. ROM is more hardware based but I've used it interchangeably given how it's worded here in XDA. TNT Lite really doesn't replace the ROM, it is a firmware change - bootloader, kernel, system etc. But again, that doesn't mean it's not risky.
I'm a sysadmin - I update firmware all the time on servers. Don't tell me it's not risky because HP would disagree with you - they have redundant firmware built into their servers because sometimes things go wrong. If you don't want to take on any risk, please do not use my alternate firmware when you get that GTAB replacement - you might want to just stick with stock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apparently you did not read my post. Had no issue with you the developers, just the clarity of the post. I was on here one day when an official Viewsonic post was posted here. It stated such. Only found out about this site from their support site. Don't have an android phone but a smart phone and I belong to that community forum. However, I sourced it out, there is no manufacturer link nor a manufacturer posting comments to that forum.
In addition, they were giving out tips and tweaks, jail breaks and everything else but I bought my phone jailbroken. That being said, thanks on the clarity of what you do. Most of the time it is clear cut in the heading. I didn't have a custom rom because I didn't want one but there were still some other good reading and tips. By the way, nice forum. My cell forum takes a slightly different approach. Everything is seriously laid out in no uncertain terms. The best clear cut approach I have ever seen for a forum.
The problem if there was one, is with VS giving this link. I've read a few posts were the ambiguity was apparent. We are being lead to believe there is some interconnectivity. Despite the fact they are driving up your site traffic they should be paying you at least a stipend for all your work in progressing their product. You spend more time "babysitting and coddling" their customers then they do. I agree there is always some risk with change of any kind. I was thinking drivers and use-ability change not ROM. Thanks for your post.

edirector said:
Apparently you did not read my post. Had no issue with you the developers, just the clarity of the post. I was on here one day when an official Viewsonic post was posted here. It stated such. Only found out about this site from their support site. Don't have an android phone but a smart phone and I belong to that community forum. However, I sourced it out, there is no manufacturer link nor a manufacturer posting comments to that forum.
In addition, they were giving out tips and tweaks, jail breaks and everything else but I bought my phone jailbroken. That being said, thanks on the clarity of what you do. Most of the time it is clear cut in the heading. I didn't have a custom rom because I didn't want one but there were still some other good reading and tips. By the way, nice forum. My cell forum takes a slightly different approach. Everything is seriously laid out in no uncertain terms. The best clear cut approach I have ever seen for a forum.
The problem if there was one, is with VS giving this link. I've read a few posts were the ambiguity was apparent. We are being lead to believe there is some interconnectivity. Despite the fact they are driving up your site traffic they should be paying you at least a stipend for all your work in progressing their product. You spend more time "babysitting and coddling" their customers then they do. I agree there is always some risk with change of any kind. I was thinking drivers and use-ability change not ROM. Thanks for your post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, in the space of a few posts, you managed to go after a developer on this site, the content of his posts and the site itself.
People like you amaze me and are indicative of the problems with society today. How about taking some responsibility for your own actions. You chose to do something. Too bad it didn't work out, but you have no one but yourself to blame.
To blame Roebeet is absurd. Frankly, to blame anyone but yourself is incredible. I have been on this site for quite a while through at least three phones. I have always known that flashing could brick my device. To say you didn't understand the consequences means you are either fooling yourself or you are plain stupid.

ptgptg said:
So, in the space of a few posts, you managed to go after a developer on this site, the content of his posts and the site itself.
People like you amaze me and are indicative of the problems with society today. How about taking some responsibility for your own actions. You chose to do something. Too bad it didn't work out, but you have no one but yourself to blame.
To blame Roebeet is absurd. Frankly, to blame anyone but yourself is incredible. I have been on this site for quite a while through at least three phones. I have always known that flashing could brick my device. To say you didn't understand the consequences means you are either fooling yourself or you are plain stupid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is what I post to Robeet your business? Stay in your lane. Stay in your lane. Read the other posts. Let's not be disingenuous here. We get that with "bleeding edge and experimental" being clearly outlined.
What part of Viewsonic didn't you get? Why even link from their site to this one? What happened to their own legitimate after purchase product support site?
You have a self esteem problem, it is evidenced by your posts. And, what does the manufacturer providing adequate after purchase support have to do with you? How is this site always the victim? Must be guilt you are adding into your responses. Get a grip.
What I am reading is product owners trying to better their products and find solutions.

MSU_Sparty said:
TouchDown offers either automatic push or manually initiated synchronization between your device (GTab, Phone, etc.) and the Exchange server. It uses whatever connection you have--WiFi or 3G or other. Obviously on the GTab, it's WiFi.
You have all of the typical options available to treat what happens on your GTab as independent from the desktop, superior, subordinate or totally synced. There are tons of options for notifications and display settings too.
There are 2 specific reasons I got Touchdown. It supports pinch and spread to change the size of email text and you can mark appointments as private. Neither of those options exist on the standard mail client--which I think is a pretty stupid omission. Whether it's really worth spending money on, I don't know but it's worked for me.
If you visit the Nitrodesk web site, you can read more details about the product. They let you try it out for 30 days for free with all functions turned on. After that, you have to delete or purchase the unlock key.
Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make sure you get the beta, I don't think stable works with gtab
Sent from my GTablet-TnT-Lite using Tapatalk

Using any tablet for business is funny stuff.. Quit dragging ass and get back into the office.. for remote administration stuff.. my G2 kicks the **** out of the gtab.. because it has a keyboard.... which can be mapped correctly (unlike using a windows based usb kb on a gtab).

First Time Post

Hello all. First time post. Let me start off by thanking you for accepting me into this fine community.
I had to chuckle while reading some excellent posts on the good and bad points when it came to some of the performance and features of the Infinity.
The reason for the chuckle was because I had this forum opened in one tab of my browser, and Amazon opened in another. I had actually been looking over the contents on my shopping cart. In it was one(1) ASUS Infinity tablet. I placed the item there a few days ago, but for some reason I couldn't get myself to hit the "Submit Order" button. Something just didn't feel right about the purchase. The decision over which tablet to choose is becoming more and more confusing. With talk about what may or may not be available in the not too distant future re: New iPad, Windows 8, etc etc really has me hesitating at this juncture.
My two daughters each purchased the new iPad so at least I have an opportunity to get a feel of what that product has to offer. Unfortunately, detaching them from their new toy has been a struggle all its own. One of the main reasons for my looking at products other than Apple is that their products seems SO proprietary.
In any case, I think that I will keep visiting this forum for a while longer before I make a final decision as to which tablet to choose. My apologies for the long-winded post. Peter

Hi Peter,
Deciding what Tablet you want for yourself is a very personal decision. If you really don't care about the environment (iOS vs Android) and are just a casual user - I do have a recommendation. At the risk of being flamed, I would say to get an iPad.
It comes down to this: Apps make the ecosystem. While android is gaining in applications and games, and just put out a huge checklist for Tablet developers, apple has a better application and gaming experience for the average user. You are absolutely subject to the proprietary OS, but most people don't care. It's good enough.
I love android (and I suspect that many others do as well) for a few reasons. It's mine. It's fully customizable and I can but really cool community built OS's Recovieries, etc on it. I've learned a lot about how devices work and the things most people don't see. That said, I've had my share of problems too. Many users don't know enough and brick their devices trying to do something that sounds cool but they don't fully understand. If you're a casual user there is no need to get caught up in it. Apple does in fact set the standard for hardware and Android will briefly surpass it, but it's always a tight race. Also, there are a lot more accessories for the iPad then any tablet device. I also love it because I enjoy pushing the envelope and making things better. Finally I love the community around android. It's awesome that I see the same usernames popping up across our little section of XDA helping each other out, supporting each other, joking around, and disagreeing even. It's fun.
Also, for the casual user you can go to a nearby apple store and get your issues fixed if you mess something up.
The first decision you make should be an ecosystem/environmental one. Also, if you don't have itunes there is a bit of a learning curve. I don't think that Apple products have that "intuitive feel" everyone claims. Android just seems harder because there is more customization that can take place.
Before I get flamed - I'm not advocating for Apple or the iPad, but I am advocating for really thinking about what kind of device you want and what you want to get out of it before you make your decision.
Good luck and if you have you have more questions, we're happy to help!

Osteele said:
Hello all. First time post. Let me start off by thanking you for accepting me into this fine community.
I had to chuckle while reading some excellent posts on the good and bad points when it came to some of the performance and features of the Infinity.
The reason for the chuckle was because I had this forum opened in one tab of my browser, and Amazon opened in another. I had actually been looking over the contents on my shopping cart. In it was one(1) ASUS Infinity tablet. I placed the item there a few days ago, but for some reason I couldn't get myself to hit the "Submit Order" button. Something just didn't feel right about the purchase. The decision over which tablet to choose is becoming more and more confusing. With talk about what may or may not be available in the not too distant future re: New iPad, Windows 8, etc etc really has me hesitating at this juncture.
My two daughters each purchased the new iPad so at least I have an opportunity to get a feel of what that product has to offer. Unfortunately, detaching them from their new toy has been a struggle all its own. One of the main reasons for my looking at products other than Apple is that their products seems SO proprietary.
In any case, I think that I will keep visiting this forum for a while longer before I make a final decision as to which tablet to choose. My apologies for the long-winded post. Peter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are welcome here, whatever you decide, but if you go with another tablet or OS, please don't come and tease us about how much better/faster/cooler yours is than ours. that really gets on my nerves, lol!
But I'm sure you would never do that.
I would advocate that if you are interested in customising your tablet, the Infinity is a good one. First of all, it has a beautiful screen, will continue to receive firmware/OS updates and is finally starting to be well supported by some of the best developers in the Android ecosystem. Personally, I don't care about iOS on any level. It's far to closed a system for me, too limited. My Infinity , running CleanROM v1.3 with TWRP 2.3.0.0. recovery absolutely flies. It is super fluid and very powerful. I keep it connected to its keyboard dock and I take it off the charger at 5:30 a.m. and never have to charge again though 17 hour day of almost constant use. Much of that use is internet browsing and with the CleanROM tweaks, the stock browser performs incredibly well. I also have a flawless tablet and dock. Never any problems. I also take care of it, but nothing out of the ordinary...just keep it in its case...don't drop it or spill on it.
I've been using it instead of a laptop, and it just about replaces my desktop. Browsing is actually faster on the Infinity, and watching videos is a lot nicer. I haven't used the HDMI port, so I can't comment on it, but having the micro sd, the fullsize sd and full size USB ports means I never have to worry about not having enough storage...my 750GB WD Passport works perfectly in the USB port. That's a lot of movies.
Well, I know some people are worried about unlocking and voiding their asus warranty in order to flash custom software, but I found that a 2 year square deal warranty with accidental damage coverage works better for me anyway. It cost me $99, but I found out later that with a coupon I could have saved $30. Oh well.
Anyway, good luck with your decision!

wolfman87 said:
Hi Peter,
Deciding what Tablet you want for yourself is a very personal decision. If you really don't care about the environment (iOS vs Android) and are just a casual user - I do have a recommendation. At the risk of being flamed, I would say to get an iPad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you so much for the quick response wolfman87. I wish that I could say that you've helped me move closer my ultimate decision. But of course you are absolutely right about that decision being a very personal one.
I suppose that there are so many factors that one may have to consider. It's so bizarre because I have been in IT for quite a while now and whenever a client asks for a quote on a new piece of hardware for example, the first question that I ask is: What exactly do you plan on doing with this new piece of hardware?
A liitle bit about myself:
Spend most of my time in a Windows client / server environment. (For better or worse my clients have dictated my skill-level)
Which is probably the reason that I am always looking to learn new things. Lately that has been:
Ubuntu desktop and server.
Virtual PBX (freePBX and Asterisk and PIAF)
Video Tutorials. Everything from Linux, jQuery, ASP .NET, Visual Studio, javascript.
Some of the things that I would like for a tablet to be able to do for me:
Receive and send email. Multiple Microsoft Exchange accounts required.
Connect remotely to client machines.
Browse the internet (many sites still require Flash)
Read all of the epub and pdf material that I now have sitting on my HP laptop
Would like to use a SIP client in order to dial thru my home based PBX with a secure VPN tunnel.
I enjoy recording music on my SSL Soundscape DAW.
Things that I found interesting about the Infinity:
Connectivity eg. HDMI - External storage - Dock
So far, I do not think that the iPad can offer any of these things. Unless I am wrong of course !!!
Once again, let me apologize for this long-winded response as well.
I thank you so much for your time and input. It is greatly appreciated.
Peter

okantomi said:
You are welcome here, whatever you decide, but if you go with another tablet or OS, please don't come and tease us about how much better/faster/cooler yours is than ours. that really gets on my nerves, lol!
But I'm sure you would never do that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are absolutely right okantomi, I would never come back to do such a thing. By the way, thank you for the great response. I suppose that some of the negative stuff that I read in certain sections of this forum got me a little nervous. I should know better. We don't live in a perfect world, and no ONE item is going to please everyone. This phenomema is what brings about change and improvement.
I will give it another day or two, discuss the purchase with my better half, then see what we come up with.
Have a great weekend. Peter

Here's my two cents... Above, someone mentioned apps... Basically, an iPad is just that - an interface to run apps. On the other hand, Android does so much more. Besides running apps, the OS itself is actually useful and a great productivity tool. The widgets that run on your desktop are simply awesome. Just by looking at my home screen, I can see my upcoming appointments, the time, the date, the weather, my Gmail account and my work email account (exchange). I can do all of that simply by turning the device on! When you turn on an Ipad you see icons - that's about it.
Add to that the features of the Transformer series, such as a keyboard dock with an extra battery, a trackpad, memory card readers, HDMI-out and a USB port and I think you can see just how powerful a Transformer running Android can be. I actually started out with an iPad 1 (as it was basically the first tablet available) - it was a great device - until I stumbled upon Android and the Transformer line! You really can do so much more with a Transformer than you can with an iPad. Hell - even this post - just try typing this on an iPad - it would take forever with the on-screen keyboard!
Like had already been stated - it all depends on what you want the device to do. For me, the iPad is just way too limiting. It may have more apps (for now - although that's beginning to change), but that is literally all that you can do with it - runs apps. There are no widgets. There is no way to expand upon the hardware (I.E. extra ports). It's very "basic".
Anyway, good luck deciding - I have a feeling that we'll be seeing you around these parts soon enough though!
By the way, don't let the "complainers" in this forum scare you off - it's mainly just so same few posters complaining over and over again. Or, it's folks that don't even own the TF700! It is deceiving - there are *many* happy TF700 users out there!
Sorry for the long post - it's just so easy to get long winded when you have a real keyboard to type with!
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2

Osteele said:
Thank you so much for the quick response wolfman87. I wish that I could say that you've helped me move closer my ultimate decision. But of course you are absolutely right about that decision being a very personal one.
I suppose that there are so many factors that one may have to consider. It's so bizarre because I have been in IT for quite a while now and whenever a client asks for a quote on a new piece of hardware for example, the first question that I ask is: What exactly do you plan on doing with this new piece of hardware?
A liitle bit about myself:
Spend most of my time in a Windows client / server environment. (For better or worse my clients have dictated my skill-level)
Which is probably the reason that I am always looking to learn new things. Lately that has been:
Ubuntu desktop and server.
Virtual PBX (freePBX and Asterisk and PIAF)
Video Tutorials. Everything from Linux, jQuery, ASP .NET, Visual Studio, javascript.
Some of the things that I would like for a tablet to be able to do for me:
Receive and send email. Multiple Microsoft Exchange accounts required.
Connect remotely to client machines.
Browse the internet (many sites still require Flash)
Read all of the epub and pdf material that I now have sitting on my HP laptop
Would like to use a SIP client in order to dial thru my home based PBX with a secure VPN tunnel.
I enjoy recording music on my SSL Soundscape DAW.
Things that I found interesting about the Infinity:
Connectivity eg. HDMI - External storage - Dock
So far, I do not think that the iPad can offer any of these things. Unless I am wrong of course !!!
Once again, let me apologize for this long-winded response as well.
I thank you so much for your time and input. It is greatly appreciated.
Peter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This might be a jumble of thoughts - sorry in advance:
That's really good information actually. From the first post it sounded much more casual. Since the needs that you have are more technical I would lean towards the Android side of things (I think that there are more IT based applications for Android). You can definitely set up exchange accounts (not sure how many, but I know you can). You can also remote into other machines (VPN, I think RDP, etc.). Of course web browsing comes standard, even on the base model
If you are going to be doing a lot of emails the dock absolutely is worth it. for ~$100 (if you get the 201) you get basically a netbook KB and the extra battery life. I have a friend who uses a bluetooth KB for his iPad and it lasts a while itself, but doesn't increase the tablet uptime.
Also a few people are working on getting a distro of linux up on this. It's harder since the bootloader isn't the same as the older models, but I don't think that it's something you can do on the iPad.
If you aren't running any iDevices right now it makes sense to stick with Android/Windows as an ecosystem. My other advice is go to play.google.com and look around at the apps, specifically for what you want to do: (for example: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=SIP&c=apps). This will help you get a feel for what is out there and what you can do.
For hooking up to HDMI - I actually may have blown the port on mine recently - I still haven't tested it again. But I got the Square Trade warranty through amazon (2 years plus accidental damage) for about $75. They're a solid provider and while I hope I don't have to use them, they don't care if you voided your ASUS warranty with unlocking, etc.
If you you and your better half will be using the tablet, I would say to stick to the infinity since the screen is super crisp (I assume that for emails, PDF's, remote PBXing, you aren't worried too much about the resolution) and it gets bright in the outdoors (IPS+). I have an iPad 2 for work and it really is much better than even that screen. Not as good as the iPads, but the best on the market for android.
If you really don't care about the screen, there are other good models out there. The Infinity rocks in terms of horsepower and as I mentioned the screen. Those are probably the two BEST things about it. I figure (for me) it will last at least 2 maybe 3 years. (hopefully more)
Oh, as a note - try before you buy. The headset jack is a bit weird and if you do a lot of audio it takes a bit to get used to holding it closer to the top.
Oh, and no need to apologize for being long winded

To all you great folks who have taken the time to respond to my lenghty posts, my heartfelt thanks. I have to be very honest, and I hope that this doesn't come off sounding strange, I am not a huge APPS kinda guy. Maybe I am not up to speed with that whole apps thing, but I just can't see why some folks put so much emphasis on the procurement of apps. Let's face it, how many are you really going to need / use. Once you find the ones that do exactly what you need for them to do that should pretty much do it.
Well, that's just me talking of course. Perhaps it has a lot to do with the fact that most of the time I am using my machines for work and not so much for play.
Have yourselves a safe and enjoyable weekend!
Thank you
Peter

Osteele said:
I wish that I could say that you've helped me move closer my ultimate decision.
[...]
It's so bizarre because I have been in IT for quite a while now and whenever a client asks for a quote on a new piece of hardware for example, the first question that I ask is: What exactly do you plan on doing with this new piece of hardware?
[...]
Ubuntu desktop and server.
Virtual PBX (freePBX and Asterisk and PIAF)
Video Tutorials. Everything from Linux, jQuery, ASP .NET, Visual Studio, javascript.
Some of the things that I would like for a tablet to be able to do for me:
Receive and send email. Multiple Microsoft Exchange accounts required.
Connect remotely to client machines.
Browse the internet (many sites still require Flash)
Read all of the epub and pdf material that I now have sitting on my HP laptop
Would like to use a SIP client in order to dial thru my home based PBX with a secure VPN tunnel.
I enjoy recording music on my SSL Soundscape DAW.
Things that I found interesting about the Infinity:
Connectivity eg. HDMI - External storage - Dock
So far, I do not think that the iPad can offer any of these things. Unless I am wrong of course !!!
Once again, let me apologize for this long-winded response as well.
I thank you so much for your time and input. It is greatly appreciated.
Peter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If web browsing is a must -- and for most of us, it is -- then pretty much any Android machine wins over any iDevice because of Flash support (even with the support detracted on JB devices, you can still sideload the apk and it will still work).
Shell connection has several (free) apps available. I do that from home, mostly, so I do not have really extensive experience with them.
EPub and PDF -- Mantano all the way (I use it for both technical reading (medical and biochemical literature, mostly) and leisure reading (although that is non-fiction as well, mainly (astro)physics, quantum dynamics, archeology -- the high resolution screen REALLY helps in that corner, for it renders formulae, graphs, tables, and such just beautifully!).
To me, given both private and work use, TF700 hands-down, but as has been said oftentimes on this thread already, it's your choice. And indeed you are welcome in here anyway.
Osteele said:
[...]I am not a huge APPS kinda guy. Maybe I am not up to speed with that whole apps thing, but I just can't see why some folks put so much emphasis on the procurement of apps. Let's face it, how many are you really going to need / use. Once you find the ones that do exactly what you need for them to do that should pretty much do it.
Well, that's just me talking of course. Perhaps it has a lot to do with the fact that most of the time I am using my machines for work and not so much for play.
Have yourselves a safe and enjoyable weekend!
Thank you
Peter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does make a major difference whether you use the 700 for work alone or also for leisure activity. I have two kids, aged 4 and 2, and they love tablet -- and they're ever handier than me. :S The app thingy is an ongoing search for the best-performing launcher, the best-performing office application, etc. -- and a lot of it is hoarding (I have enough games purchased-but-not-played-yet to last me for the next decade-and-a-half, hahaha!).
(Oh, and sometimes, an app is really good for all things it does, but it doesn't incorporate a feature you need. You then find another app that does, but that one either has a clunky interface (preventing everyday use) or misses some feature the other app did provide... and so on, and so on. )
Jtrosky already tackled this, but I wanted to emphasize it a bit: currently, only a small minority has devices that display major faults. Don't let the few posts about them detract you from trusting the TF700.
I was one of the many that noticed low I/O performance, which is the one issue that is faithfully reproducible, I guess -- and although not eliminated entirely, it has been greatly improved upon by recent updates. I was one of the instigators of the "I/O pressure" -- I unashamedly admit -- and I think we did the right thing in being so vocal. I love my 700, though, and I am easily standing up against the many friends carrying iDevices around (with regards to both screen quality, battery life, physical keyboard, and connection options (main USB, (micro)SD cards)...
Have a good and merry weekend yourself as well!

MartyHulskemper said:
If web browsing is a must -- and for most of us, it is -- then pretty much any Android machine wins over any iDevice because of Flash support (even with the support detracted on JB devices, you can still sideload the apk and it will still work).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good morning Marty, and thank you for your valuable input. Undoubtedly, you seem to be getting the most out of your trusty tablet. I am happy to hear that.
I am going to take in all I can about tablets in general this weekend. I know that can probably set me a back a while. I am currently delving into a little .NET programming. So, there is always WIndows 8 tablets.
Came across this article last nite:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2010050/leaked-windows-8-tablet-pricing-suggests-asus-is-targeting-big-spenders.html
Will most likely add to my confusion though. No one is holding a gun to my head, right?
Have a wonderful day wherever you may be!
Peter

Osteele said:
Good morning Marty, and thank you for your valuable input. Undoubtedly, you seem to be getting the most out of your trusty tablet. I am happy to hear that.
I am going to take in all I can about tablets in general this weekend. I know that can probably set me a back a while. I am currently delving into a little .NET programming. So, there is always WIndows 8 tablets.
Came across this article last nite:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2010050/leaked-windows-8-tablet-pricing-suggests-asus-is-targeting-big-spenders.html
Will most likely add to my confusion though. No one is holding a gun to my head, right?
Have a wonderful day wherever you may be!
Peter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, no, you're only in as much hurry as you put yourself in -- that Intel-based ASUS tablet is priced outrageously high -- 1399 dollars for a tablet? Meh. The people that would pay that )to include the dock accessory) would rather pay 1100 dollars for a really good laptop instead. I'd that swell, and I'd gain Windows gaming in the process (Borderlands 2 on the train commute ftw, hahaha! ) and a crapload of ecosystem apps that have been refined over many years instead of the 2 years we have had Android tablet apps and 0, nada, zilch for Windows 8 tablet apps.
If they price it lower, though, it might even be very tempting (especially when they do not break compatibility with Windows 7 applications -- I haven't been paying much attention to Windows 8. I guess I have some catching up to do...
And as far as your catching up goes: yes, I'd expect you to be busy reading for a week or two, at least. As we say in Holland: it will, at the very least, keep you off the streets.

MartyHulskemper said:
Oh, no, you're only in as much hurry as you put yourself in -- that Intel-based ASUS tablet is priced outrageously high -- 1399 dollars for a tablet? Meh.
If they price it lower, though, it might even be very tempting (especially when they do not break compatibility with Windows 7 applications -- I haven't been paying much attention to Windows 8. I guess I have some catching up to do...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello again Marty. I was under the impression that the pricing was somewhere in the vicinity of:
Pricing for Asus' Vivo Tab RT will start at $599
As was mentioned here as well:
http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/12/3495334/asus-vivo-tab-rt-pre-sales-begin-first-windows-rt-tablet-starts-at
IT's going to take more than a tablet to keep me off the streets. :laugh: :laugh:
Have a wonderful day. Peter

Osteele said:
Hello again Marty. I was under the impression that the pricing was somewhere in the vicinity of:
Pricing for Asus' Vivo Tab RT will start at $599
As was mentioned here as well:
http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/12/3495334/asus-vivo-tab-rt-pre-sales-begin-first-windows-rt-tablet-starts-at
IT's going to take more than a tablet to keep me off the streets. :laugh: :laugh:
Have a wonderful day. Peter
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Click to collapse
Hi Peter!
Yes, it did say that in the article, but the RT versions of Windows 8 are the versions that carry ONLY the Metro interface, and are able to run ONLY apps that have been specifically programmed to run on that particular version (although I might have understood all that totally wrong, in which case somebody will undoubtedly be so friendly as to point me to my errors. The more usable versions will cost you significantly more, and the dock will set you back even more...

MartyHulskemper said:
Hi Peter!
Yes, it did say that in the article, but the RT versions of Windows 8 are the versions that carry ONLY the Metro interface, and are able to run ONLY apps that have been specifically programmed to run on that particular version (although I might have understood all that totally wrong, in which case somebody will undoubtedly be so friendly as to point me to my errors. The more usable versions will cost you significantly more, and the dock will set you back even more...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aha !!! Gotcha. Thanks to you, I will be going to bed a little smarter this evening. Thank you. Peter

Update
Well folks, I just wanted to stop by to let you know that I took the plung today at approx 18:00. After spending a considerable amount of time scouring the internet and reading reviews ad nauseam, I finally decided upon the Infinity. Should arrive in a few days and I must say that I am excited. Nice to feel like a kid again.
There is a good possibility that I may have a few questions once I have spent a little time with the unit. Hope you all don't mind if I post those questions here on this forum.
Thank you all again for being so helpful. I hope that I have made the right decision.
Peter

Osteele said:
Well folks, I just wanted to stop by to let you know that I took the plung today at approx 18:00. After spending a considerable amount of time scouring the internet and reading reviews ad nauseam, I finally decided upon the Infinity. Should arrive in a few days and I must say that I am excited. Nice to feel like a kid again.
There is a good possibility that I may have a few questions once I have spent a little time with the unit. Hope you all don't mind if I post those questions here on this forum.
Thank you all again for being so helpful. I hope that I have made the right decision.
Peter
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Click to collapse
Bring it on bro.....We are waiting!!!

buhohitr said:
Bring it on bro.....We are waiting!!!
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Click to collapse
Thank you Sir. I really appreciate that.

Congrats! Welcome to the club
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

Welcome to the Infinity family.
As a .NET Developer myself, I find this device comes in handy sometimes with the supernote it saves alot of papers and keep them all in one place. I use Supernote for writing pseudo code, brainstorming, UML diagram etc. Maybe you will find this method useful or maybe not. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy the infinity!
Cheers

Osteele said:
Well folks, I just wanted to stop by to let you know that I took the plung today at approx 18:00. After spending a considerable amount of time scouring the internet and reading reviews ad nauseam, I finally decided upon the Infinity. Should arrive in a few days and I must say that I am excited. Nice to feel like a kid again.
There is a good possibility that I may have a few questions once I have spent a little time with the unit. Hope you all don't mind if I post those questions here on this forum.
Thank you all again for being so helpful. I hope that I have made the right decision.
Peter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope so, too, Peter -- you'll find out soon enough, I guess. ; ) It does come pretty sudden, so after your initial resolve to wait it out and inform and inform and inform. I know the feeling of waiting, however, mostly gets the best of me -- I guess us gadgeteers are not the most resilient to marketing and spec sheets. Hahaha!
Welcome to the club, and don't fret about posting your questions. It's not your type of user we get fed up with, and to be honest, I think you'll be fine with the guides that have sprung up -- at least as far as unlocking woes, Nvflash, custom recoveries and custom ROMs, etc. go. It's going to take a fair bit of Play Store scavenging to find apps that suit your needs and style optimally, but we'll get there. Relish the kid feeling, and don't lose the fun in finding your way.
By the way: I assume you ordered it with the dock?