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I got my g-tablet from Sears on November 2 and returned it to the store yesterday. I told them it does not have flash as stated on the box and the display is of very poor quality. I got full refund.
Why did I return it?
- Nvidia quality sucks: I had dead laptop, because of defective nvidia chip. If you don't believe it check this: Apple, Dell and HP got a class action suit against Nvidia: www nvidiasettlement com. OpenGL drivers are full of bugs they may have fixed Angry Birds, but there are plenty other bugs I'm sure.
- Nvidia does not conform to standards. No NEON instructions in Tegra. They try to play their desktop video card game, by providing custom APIs and making their applications incompatible with other ARM CPUs. So far it is the opposite - applications that run good on every other Cortex A8, does not play on Tegra.
- Nvidia keep their specs closed. I tried to get information on how to hook a hardware JTAG debugger, but all specs are opened only for partners.
- The device has the worst display I've seen. In portrait mode it gives me distorted colors even when looked at 90 degrees angle.
- The device is made by Malata and not Viewsonic. There is no track history for this company and I don't want to risk my money with unknown hardware quality (software we all know sucks)
For all folks expecting Notion Ink Adam: I'm sorry but this is going to be the same crap. Notion Ink has no proven record (neither Pixel Qi),combined with a low quality Nvidia chip, this is going to hurt.
I'm going to wait for the upcoming Acer tablet with a 10-inch screen that will run a Qualcomm dual-core 1 Ghz processor (produced on the new 28nm technology, supports out of order execution).
One good word about the G-tablet: the apx mode allows you to flash any OS, but the tablet has only 512MB internal Flash, which is not enough for dual boot.
My perfect tablet needs to be a laptop replacement: that means dual boot Android/Gentoo Linux, ability to boot every other ARM OS(windows phone,etc) from a sdcard. Also it has to have a case with keyboard and mouse pad (to be used as laptop when needed).
The TnT interface shows how clueless are Viewsonic about what the people actually need.
I bought mine about 3 days ago.. and I'm returning it today because of the poor viewing angles on the screen.. and also because of the laggy ui.. even with custom roms
edit: changed my mind and I'm going to keep mine for a while. there's a lot of great work being done with custom roms that might fix the lagginess. looking forward to notion inks announcement on december 9th!
i have had mine for about a week, the only way i'm returning it is if something better comes out within my 30 day window. it certainly does have flaws but i'm gonna give it more of a chance.
I am keeping mine because I am running Android 2.2 which doesn't take advantage of the dual-core processor, and because it is more of an accessory than a laptop replacement for me. This is definitely a hacker's unit more than an out-of-the-box laptop replacement.
-=Sent from my ViewSonic G Tablet using Tapatalk=-
To get a better one
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
Keeping mine. Roebeet has been working hard to make this tablet worth something. I have no compaints with this device while running tnt lite other than the screen viewing angles. Even still, 9 times out of 10, im holding my device right in front of me so viewing angles are not as big of factor. This device is really just ahead of its time. The hardware is there, just the operating system is yet to be optimized for a 10 inch tablet with a tegra 2 processor. Roebeets tnt lite is just a sneak peak at what this thing is capable of. Once there is a 100% stock android it will run even faster, or even android 3.0. With this thing being completely open, its only a matter of time. This is a hackers paradise. Its so new that not everyone was able to get their hands on it yet. Give this thing time, i think you will be suprised what this thing can do and regret returning it.
I'm keeping mine. With a good bit of modding its actually nice to use. The screen angles are pretty bad in good lighting but is fine in low light situations. So I just use it in landscape in good light areas. Aside from the screen and sadly the TnT software this Malta pad is great. It even has a potential to be a beast as new products are released and Tegra 2 support becomes stronger.
Anything we get until Feb of next year is going to be a bit of a mess. All the top tier companies who only want to release a 100% consumer friendly product are holding off for Honeycomb. The current releases are either mid tier companies hungry for market share, bottom of the barrel companies releasing crap, and start ups like Adam using time as an opportunity.
We're on the bleeding edge and it shows. Likely the only company thats going to put in the effort needed to make this a good experience is Adam. They're a new company with something to prove. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if the their tab ends up going for $600 and still selling well.
Bottom line: If you can put up with the viewing angles and 1 reboot a day this is a decent deal. Especially if you got it for $280 like I did .
Keeping mine and bought up Sears stock for today's sale, sorry about that anyone who shops near me. These rock after being loaded up correctly
No way I'm taking my back. After flashing to TnT Lite 2.02 it's a keeper. Now if I could only get wireless tethering to work it would be golden.
does this question really belong in development?
switt said:
Bottom line: If you can put up with the viewing angles and 1 reboot a day this is a decent deal. Especially if you got it for $280 like I did .
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For $280 this tablet is a steal. There is no doubt in my mind that I would keep this tablet at that price.
However, at $417 after tax I'm on the fence about keeping this tablet. Performance wise, I can't complain. It's easily the fastest tablet on the market right now. After loading up TnT Lite with flash, this tablet is amazing. It's so much fun surfing the web. Battery life is great, this thing sips power.
but the screen, OMG the screen. It's just bad. I don't know any other way to say it. In portrait mode, it's usable but you can tell the image looks different at the top than it does at the bottom. I've found that there is really only one way to hold the tablet to get a good view and that is directly infront of you slightly below eye level.
linckraker said:
does this question really belong in development?
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That was my question also, but I decided not to comment as I had assumed that a mod would've moved it to general by now.
Anyways ATM I'm keeping it. My primary reason for returning it would be driven by the form factor, as I REALLY MUCH prefer 7" for tablets. Just more portable and better for reading fiction, which means IF I keep that I'll also want a complementary 7" tablet. I just find 10" to be unwieldly.
As secondary reasons I would point out the absence of various features advertised on the box itself.
Just wish that a 7" Tegra2 would come out... I'd be all over it.
Where do i get one for $280
switt said:
I'm keeping mine. With a good bit of modding its actually nice to use. The screen angles are pretty bad in good lighting but is fine in low light situations. So I just use it in landscape in good light areas. Aside from the screen and sadly the TnT software this Malta pad is great. It even has a potential to be a beast as new products are released and Tegra 2 support becomes stronger.
Anything we get until Feb of next year is going to be a bit of a mess. All the top tier companies who only want to release a 100% consumer friendly product are holding off for Honeycomb. The current releases are either mid tier companies hungry for market share, bottom of the barrel companies releasing crap, and start ups like Adam using time as an opportunity.
We're on the bleeding edge and it shows. Likely the only company thats going to put in the effort needed to make this a good experience is Adam. They're a new company with something to prove. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if the their tab ends up going for $600 and still selling well.
Bottom line: If you can put up with the viewing angles and 1 reboot a day this is a decent deal. Especially if you got it for $280 like I did .
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Where do i get one for 280$, see them at staples for 399$?
acuralegendz said:
Where do i get one for 280$, see them at staples for 399$?
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some sears outlet stores have refurbs for 279
I think the problem with the question of "why did you return it" is that the people who did return it are probably not scanning this forum anymore.
I've been scanning the negative comments (which are mostly valid crticisms, I might add), and I've compiled a list in my head:
- The crappy UI
- The crappy UI (important enough to be mentioned twice)
- The viewing angles, especially when watching while laying on a desk. (btw, flip the device around, so that the camera is on the bottom, and you can get around that).
- No official Flash yet, even though the darn icon is on the box.
- App compatibility issues, in particular the g-sensor issue in games.
- Lack of h264 high profile playback support (this is a Tegra 2 hardware limitation, btw).
- Performance, even with the UI mods. That seems to be more of an Android limitation, given that dual core is not being exploited.
- Lack of HDMI given that there's no dock, and a lack of accessories like a case.
- The bang-for-the-buck.
The last one is important because I have seen more than few posts from people returning the item who mentioned that they might have kept it of were $300, or if they could snag a $279 outlet device. It's not that the device is "bad", but more that you didn't want to break the bank for a device that is really not fully optimized yet. And I can understand that 100%.
roebeet said:
I think the problem with the question of "why did you return it" is that the people who did return it are probably not scanning this forum anymore.
I've been scanning the negative comments (which are mostly valid crticisms, I might add), and I've compiled a list in my head:
- The crappy UI
- The crappy UI (important enough to be mentioned twice)
- The viewing angles, especially when watching while laying on a desk. (btw, flip the device around, so that the camera is on the bottom, and you can get around that).
- No official Flash yet, even though the darn icon is on the box.
- App compatibility issues, in particular the g-sensor issue in games.
- Lack of h264 high profile playback support (this is a Tegra 2 hardware limitation, btw).
- Performance, even with the UI mods. That seems to be more of an Android limitation, given that dual core is not being exploited.
- Lack of HDMI given that there's no dock, and a lack of accessories like a case.
- The bang-for-the-buck.
The last one is important because I have seen more than few posts from people returning the item who mentioned that they might have kept it of were $300, or if they could snag a $279 outlet device. It's not that the device is "bad", but more that you didn't want to break the bank for a device that is really not fully optimized yet. And I can understand that 100%.
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I'm FIRMLY in the $300 camp as BOTH Staples & Sears had the gTab right next to a $299 and $249 Atom based netbooks(ASUS, Acer, Toshiba and something else...). Kind of a smack in the face to be asked to pay $400 for a less functional device, although I can kind of understand part of the reason being that the Tegra2 SoC isn't quite as cheap as ALL of the other SoCs. $400 still just seems like a hype price to me, and I do feel kind of ripped... would feel better IF it had a better camera(maybe 2) and GPS builtin... ...and if I had any REAL expectations of longterm VS support and OS upgrades, e.g. next Android version...
Yes, and I'd have to add viewing angles to my list of possible return reasons from using it a bit last night(in bed) with some sideloaded apps that forced portrait mode...
gturnersr said:
I got my g-tablet from Sears on November 2 and returned it to the store yesterday. I told them it does not have flash as stated on the box and the display is of very poor quality. I got full refund.
Why did I return it?
- Nvidia quality sucks: I had dead laptop, because of defective nvidia chip. If you don't believe it check this: Apple, Dell and HP got a class action suit against Nvidia: www nvidiasettlement com. OpenGL drivers are full of bugs they may have fixed Angry Birds, but there are plenty other bugs I'm sure.
- Nvidia does not conform to standards. No NEON instructions in Tegra. They try to play their desktop video card game, by providing custom APIs and making their applications incompatible with other ARM CPUs. So far it is the opposite - applications that run good on every other Cortex A8, does not play on Tegra.
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Wow, glad you were given an opportunity to complain about NVidia.... The class action suit you're referring to was in reality a problem of the OEM which NVidia and most OEMs covered completely. My Dell laptop at work died and was replaced with a newer model in ONE WEEK. Two year old information = FUD.
I returned mine after about 2 weeks. Didn't work well out of the box and wanted something with smaller screen. I went ahead and got the Galaxy Tab instead.
But I will be checking out the Sears Outlet for the blackfriday returns to play around with it.
Because of touch screen
I got my g tablet from Sears the day before Thanksgiving and had a lot of time to play with it. I had gotten to market to work and installed several apps and had even gotten used to the stock UI. But I am extremely disappointed in the responsiveness of the touch screen. There are time you have to press very hard on the icon to open a program. And typing is a chore. Unless there is something you have to do to calibrate the screen I will be returning it Monday. Also, I thought I read that it came with a temporary plastic film over the screen, but mine did not. There was a foam protector attached to the inside of the box.
Is there anything I can do to increase the sensitivity of the touch screen? I would love to keep it - but not with the way the touch screen is working (or NOT WORKING)
cutterjohn said:
I'm FIRMLY in the $300 camp as BOTH Staples & Sears had the gTab right next to a $299 and $249 Atom based netbooks(ASUS, Acer, Toshiba and something else...). Kind of a smack in the face to be asked to pay $400 for a less functional device, although I can kind of understand part of the reason being that the Tegra2 SoC isn't quite as cheap as ALL of the other SoCs. $400 still just seems like a hype price to me, and I do feel kind of ripped... would feel better IF it had a better camera(maybe 2) and GPS builtin... ...and if I had any REAL expectations of longterm VS support and OS upgrades, e.g. next Android version...
Yes, and I'd have to add viewing angles to my list of possible return reasons from using it a bit last night(in bed) with some sideloaded apps that forced portrait mode...
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Tegra 2 is in the starting point of it's cost curve, so about $75 of the price is cost and correlating profit margin, since companies are not going to scale to their cost
You will find that the newer Tegra 2 devices in Q1 & Q2 2011 will all be around $500, since you will then also be paying for better displays and brand names too
The display on this device is how they were able to put a Tegra 2 in it -cost balancing. Ironically, if the OEM would have rotated the display 180 degrees when building them, it would not be an issue. Display looks as good as the Archos 101- when upside down
Hi peeps been looking around at the android tablets on the market and wondering if i should take the plunge?.Thought i would ask here as you guys probably have more experiance than most.Can you recomend a couple?, i'm not looking to spend a fortune just want something that covers most bases and doesnt struggle to run the usual suspects.HDMI out would be a plus but any ideas you can offer or just give me ideas on what not to buy.Any helps good, thanx in advance.
I have a smoldering interest in a tablet as well but I will continue to hold off as my Lenovo X61t and Windows Phone compliment each other pretty well and I don't "need" one.
However, I have taken note of the Archos' that were just released. The general feeling is that they feel cheap in build quality but the price and performance is right there. This is engadgets take on the two tablets they have.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/24/archos-70-and-101-internet-tablet-review/
I have used the Samsung Galaxy S and it is a nice device. Gotta be honest though, nothing seems to be "more complete than the ipad", just in terms of docks, jailbreaking, best apps, etc.
There are so many 'knock offs' in this category, let us know what you find!
I agree in the upset front, it's a great piece of kit but I refuse to spend that kind if money. Have found plenty of cheap ones, and I don't mind the price tag but most are just a bit gutless lol. But yeah likewise bring the info if you find something good.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
Back again, on the subject off cheapo knock off tablets have you seen the a-ok pad lol now don't laugh. I could be persuaded to gamble on something as (shall we say rough) if it ticked the right boxes. Anybody heard if them? Any horror stories?
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
Buying a new tablet
I'm in the market for a tablet, and have taken my sweet time for the last 3 months researching and looking for the best one to buy. I've done my fair share of research and now i'm asking you: Should I buy the ASUS Transformer Prime with the dock, od should i wait for samsung/htc/moto/lenovo/acer... next-gen tablet? My fear is you see, that I'll buy The Prime, and that it won't be supported by some software develeopers, and left out in the cold with some apps, or not on par with the next-gen 2012 tablets. I want the best hardware specs, possible future windows 8 compatibility, preferably tegra device, 3g isn't a must, nor GPS but preferred. I don't mind waiting for a few more months since this would be my first tablet, wich i don't really need. NO IOS/IPad talk please, android tablet only (but like i said, with a possibility of win8 in the future). Any reasonable advice is more than welcome, and thank you all very much in advance!
IIRC Asus Prime will begin getting ICS/4.0 Jan 12th.
With that said, I would definitely play around with one before buying. Numerous reported issues that can't really be fixed through OTA's or software. (GPS, WIFI, light bleed, glass/screen loose from rest of tab).
Typical Asus if you ask me, crapshoot on quality.
Also depends on what you want in a tab. If you don't really want to play around/mod/customize then I think the Ipad 2 or hold out a couple of months for an Ipad 3 would be your best bet.
If you have to have an Android you have one of two options. Wait for more quad core tabs to be released, or start looking at what's available now.
Samsung 7.0 Plus is probably the best out for 7"ers.
For the 10"ers it's a toss up right now. Galaxy Tab 10.1 has good support, decent performance, light, easy to hold, good screen, great speakers (for a tab). It's cons to me are the Tegra 2 isn't up to snuff with Honeycomb OS.
The HP Touchpad is a great buy for the OS and specs, and can also be ported to Android (Still need to play with one)
Asus Transformer TF101 is also a good buy but again a crapshoot on quality but can be had for a good price.
The new Moto Xyboards are getting good reviews but they are overpriced for what they are, are only sold through VZW and were "technically" outdated before they were even released. Also locked bootloaders are never fun if flashing kernels are your thing.
Right now I'm looking at getting another tab so I guess you could say I'm in the same boat as you. I have an OG Galaxy Tab 7 on the way b/c I got it cheaper than cheap and just wanna play with it.
Considering picking up an 8" Xyboard also.
ETA: I probably won't pick up a Xyboard however until they come down in price or a WiFi only version is offered.
The SGT 7.7 also sounds promising. Decisions decisions.
First of all, thank you for the fast and torough reply... And yes, sweet sweet decisions
I forgot to say that I'm in the market for a 10" minimum tablet, don't want smthng smaller 'cause i allready have an SGSII so I'm covered for mobility.
As for ASUS's build quality, like I said I never owned a tablet so I definately will try out/play with one for a couple of hours before purchasing, and watch out for the screen bleed on an ips display. But currently most of my pc's componens (2xmobo, 2xgraphic cards, and a lappy) are ASUS made and i must say i'm more than satisfied with them, and as I recall, when I was buying my SGSII there was talk about screen burn-in, overheating and wifi problems too, but I haven't had a single one with my device. Besides that, I don't really need GPS or 3g in a tablet so it's not a dealbreaker with me on The Prime.
The problem is: I wouldn't buy any other tablet now existing in the market, mostly because of the Tegra3 chipset The Prime has, so if I'm paying a hi-end device (around 700$) i want the latest and fastest performer in the ring. And yes, in my book that is android only, as i find apple's devices a bit limiting sometimes (without any fanboyism, I come from a long line of iphones before my android). The things I'm worried hardware-wise are: the amount and speed of Prime's RAM (1gb od ddr2), possible wifi signal problems, screen bleed, and that it's topheavy when docked (a minor thing really). I love that it has a full USB 2.0 port, so you don't need a jack/ adapter of some kind (e.g. like on a SGSII microUSB to full USB). Not really worried about the one speaker layout eather, altough i was a bit dissapointed since the TF101 had a stereo layout, but still, not a dealbreaker (hey, it's still a tablet)...
Now you may laugh at this seeing your sig, but in my mobile history (25+ phones) the worst were accually motorolas (v3 being the worst of the lot, but than again A925 was more than excellent) I'm not so fond of HP either, last month i sold my DV6 3020em, (that's the i7 touchscreen version for Europe since i'm european), and i can say it was utter rubbish, overheating, shoddy build quality, squeaky, noisy fans, you name it... That's why I sold it, but it had a touchscreen which was more than handy, and that's why i want a tablet, I just might look a bit more into the HP touchpad after all.
Acer is great quality for it's price, really great. But I only had Acer's laptops, and the Iconia tablet is as ugly as a bullfrog from chernobyl, so I wouldn't want one.
Tf101 is ugly too by my standards, too big as well, but the looks aren't so important if it was an excellent performer, which none of the now available androids are compared to The Prime (at least not on honeycomb).
I played with samsung 8.9 a few days ago and I can report is't a great little device, thin, capable, satisfying all in all, but i'd like a bigger screen, and a real keyboard and it's not a tegra device (I play a lot of games so i'd like the tegra zone, as chainfire's plugins don't support all tegra tweaked games)
Now I do like to install a new ROM every few weeks on my SGSII but i srsly don't think that will be the case on a tablet (except Win 8, when it comes out).
So i guess the question remains: should i wait for Samsung's next gen 10.1 answer or just go with the prime now
P.S. sorry for my poor english
cavkic said:
First of all, thank you for the fast and torough reply... And yes, sweet sweet decisions
I forgot to say that I'm in the market for a 10" minimum tablet, don't want smthng smaller 'cause i allready have an SGSII so I'm covered for mobility.
As for ASUS's build quality, like i said i never owned a tablet so I definately will try out/play with one for a couple of hours before purchasing, and watch out for the screen bleed on an ips display. But currently most of my pc's componens (2xmobo, 2xgraphic cards, and a lappy) are ASUS made and i must say i'm more than satisfied with them, and as I recall, when I was buying my SGSII there was talk about screen burn-in, overheating and wifi problems too, but I haven't had a single one with my device. Besides that, I don't really need GPS or 3g in a tablet so it's not a dealbreaker with me on The Prime.
The problem is: I wouldn't buy any other tablet now existing in the market, mostly because of the Tegra3 chipset The Prime has, so if I'm paying a hi-end device (around 700$) i want the latest and fastest performer in the ring. And yes, in my book that is android only, as i find apple's devices a bit limiting sometimes (without any fanboyism, I come from a long line of iphones before my android). The only thing I'm worried hardware-wise is the amount and speed of Prime's RAM (1gb od ddr2), possible wifi signal problems, screen bleed, and that it's topheavy when docked (a minor thing really). I love that it has a full USB 2.0 port, so you don't need a jack/ adapter of some kind (e.g. like on a SGSII microUSB to full USB). Not really worried about the one speaker layout eather, altough i was a bit dissapointed since the TF101 had a stereo layout, but still, not a dealbreaker (hey, it's still a tablet)...
So i guess the question remains: should i wait for Samsung's next gen 10.1 answer or just go with the prime now
P.S. sorry for my poor english
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Don't jump the gun on the Prime until stock has settled in, right now retailers are price gouging due to low availability. The Prime should be $500 for the 32GB, $600 for the 64GB, not $650-700 for the 32GB.
I have a Transformer and an Iconia Tab A100, and I can tell you from first hand experience that the build quality isn't nearly as bad as the above poster is making it out to be. I actually like the finish on both the original Transformer and the Iconia series a lot, and the Prime seems to be a winner also. Another thing to consider for both ASUS and Acer is that they keep their Android releases relatively 'vanilla' except for a few bloatware-type apps of their own, unlike Samsung and HTC, who just can't help themselves but smear TouchWiz and Sense over everything they produce.
The only real reported issue with the Prime appears to be the GPS accuracy, but at least to me, it's a non-issue, since I disable GPS and bluetooth on everything.
The Windows 8 bit is yet to be seen, porting a device to another OS is something you can hope, but never hold your breath for. We've yet to see how Windows 8 distribution is going to work and remember that even if you do install Windows 8 down the road, it doesn't mean that you'll be able to run all windows-based programs, since mobile devices use ARM CPUs, and everything written for windows right now is made for x86 CPUs, so it will be up to each third party to rewrite their programs for compatibility.
Although I would never write out a company with pockets as deep as microsoft, they have proven time and time again that they are unable to compete in the mobile segment, so I don't see Windows 8 with as much hope and awe as many others do. (Especially since Ice Cream Sandwich is the first Android iteration we can really call "excellent")
TL;DR - If you can find a Prime for a decent price, then it's an amazing device to be had for a very reasonable price. If you plan on waiting, then checking out the upcoming Iconia A700 isn't a bad idea either if the dock isn't that important to you.
littleemp said:
Don't jump the gun on the Prime until stock has settled in, right now retailers are price gouging due to low availability. The Prime should be $500 for the 32GB, $600 for the 64GB, not $650-700 for the 32GB.
I have a Transformer and an Iconia Tab A100, and I can tell you from first hand experience that the build quality isn't nearly as bad as the above poster is making it out to be. I actually like the finish on both the original Transformer and the Iconia series a lot, and the Prime seems to be a winner also. Another thing to consider for both ASUS and Acer is that they keep their Android releases relatively 'vanilla' except for a few bloatware-type apps of their own, unlike Samsung and HTC, who just can't help themselves but smear TouchWiz and Sense over everything they produce.
The only real reported issue with the Prime appears to be the GPS accuracy, but at least to me, it's a non-issue, since I disable GPS and bluetooth on everything.
The Windows 8 bit is yet to be seen, porting a device to another OS is something you can hope, but never hold your breath for. We've yet to see how Windows 8 distribution is going to work and remember that even if you do install Windows 8 down the road, it doesn't mean that you'll be able to run all windows-based programs, since mobile devices use ARM CPUs, and everything written for windows right now is made for x86 CPUs, so it will be up to each third party to rewrite their programs for compatibility.
Although I would never write out a company with pockets as deep as microsoft, they have proven time and time again that they are unable to compete in the mobile segment, so I don't see Windows 8 with as much hope and awe as many others do. (Especially since Ice Cream Sandwich is the first Android iteration we can really call "excellent")
TL;DR - If you can find a Prime for a decent price, then it's an amazing device to be had for a very reasonable price. If you plan on waiting, then checking out the upcoming Iconia A700 isn't a bad idea either if the dock isn't that important to you.
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Tnx for the reply, and I have to say I think you misunderstood me. I don't think I said anything bad about acer's or asus's build quality just HP's (and only the perticular model of the DV6 I had), just that they're a bit on the ugly side, but that's totally a subjective stand, and irrelevant to anybody else.
As far as Prime's price goes, it should be available in Croatia, about 2hrs drive from my home in 10days for less than 700$ with the dock for the 32gig version, which is not a bad pricetag considering where I live, and I'm ready to give that kind of money for it. The dock is accually something i like about the Transformer, and it would probbably be a dead heat between TF101 just because of the dock) and the Sammy 10.1 if it weren't for the prime.
GPS, like I said, I don't mind. The SGSII has a great GPS reciever which i hardly ever use, maybe 6 times since i got it in july.
As far as ARM windows goes, I know what to expect from it , nothing special, but it would be nice to have that option when it's available
So you are happy with the TF101 and the Iconia? But would you recommend buying now the Prime if I'm happy with the price? I should mention I probbably won't buy it before ICS, and I'll try to get a hold of a stock ICS one when it's out after Jan. 12. because I want to make sure i missed the first version shipment
I believe you about Motorola. Until my Droid X I have ALWAYS hated Motorola. I never had a phone that worked right after some wear and tear and always had problems. From before smartphones thru the Droid 1, 2, and 3. (Went through multiples of those). I'm also a Samsung and HTC fan.
I've never had a problem with Asus computer components myself, w/ that said, there are quite a few complaints when it comes to the TF201 on quality. With that said, you, as I'm sure you do, have to take into account the dissatisfied ones are always going to moan and groan much more and louder than the happy customer.
I guess I just wish it was like cars when it comes to Tablets and would love for them to let me take the exact tab I'm looking to buy for a test drive. (Not leave the store but just open the box and get a good look at it and test everything to make sure I'm getting what my hard earned money is paying for).
I really want a TF201, but I'm going to wait til a few more Tegra 3 tabs come out. I really think Motorola would have hit a homerun if they would have put a quad core in their Xyboards and kept the price what they're charging now.
The three tabs I'm really torn between right now are the Xyboard 8.2, TF201, and Samsung 7.0 Plus. But man we are so close to seeing quad core as the new standard for tabs so the other part of me just wants to sit it out and wait.
So true what you said about the sitting and waiting for the quad core as the new standard, but on the other hand, HOW BAD DO WE WANT ONE!?!
Personally for me it's no competition between the Prime and other tablets, the Prime is just on another planet.
This morning the store answered my email saying that the Prime will be available mid january (in about 10 days) and said that maybe they could reserve one for me because of the small supply, but said the price may be different depending on the usd/euro stocks, but under 700$ for the 32gig version with dock...
Still I'm not planning on buying one before a test drive like you said (mostly to check for screen bleed). And yes, I took into account the moaners which is true like you said again...
I think I wathched every single review/comparison of the tablet on youtube, and read at least 10 reviews online, and it's all mostly positive.
I'll update as soon as i get my hands on a test one, hopefully in about 10 days.
I looking to buy a tablet and from everything I have read and tested at Office Depot (viewing angles) the G tab seems fine to me. I am sure it will be faster after I root and load new ROM.
But with all of the new tabs coming (xoom and so on) at this point should I just wait. I know the xoom seems very high to me (800.00) not sure I want to pay that much. I know I don't want to buy another tab for 2 years or so. So maybe the xoom would solve that issue.
Thoughts?
David
If you are willing to root the 'g' tablet and install one of the community developed ROMs, I say go for it. The 'g' tablet was bleeding edge when it came out, is still at the head of the pack and will remain a strong platform for another year and a half to two years.
The price is right and unless you always have to be right at the bleeding edge, you will not be disappointed with a 'g' over the time frame you are looking at (and perhaps a little beyond).
Wait for Xoom to Come Out and Then Buy GTablet
Given how active the developers are, I'm betting that within a couple of weeks of the release of Xoom there will be a XoomLite Rom here for the Gtablet. So I'd wait a couple of weeks until the Xoom comes out. Take a look at it in a store and if it is really $800, unless there is something in the Xoom hardware that you can't live without, buy the Gtablet. Then put the ROM of your choice on your Gtablet (I use TNTLite) and keep checking back for what I expect will be a version of Xoom for our Gtablets.
If you are a tinkerer- get the Gtablet now. Seems all of the devices have quirks coming out, but one common thing is some form of dual core chipset. Quirks are there in one combo or other:
1. Overpriced
2. Proprietary connectors
3. No USB Host
4. No USB
5. Did I say overpriced yet?
Example is the Xoom. Costs $800. My Gtablet and 64gb iPod 4 cost $86 less than that.
My next tab will be the iPad "2". I love the app ecosystem and the game & app quality is AMAZING. I have my Gtablet and Incredible for Android fun and for Flash & internet function. Game emulators too.
BTW, my next phone will be either the Thunderbolt, Bionic or something similar on Verizon. No iPhone and the Xperia Play will likely have proprietary connectors, no microsd (Sony proprietary) and be locked down, so no dice for me.
iTunes may suck butt since a forced interface, but a lot of apps rock hard! Real hard.
Please forgive the slight tangent of my post.
If you're still unsure, then your best bet is to wait. You may even want to wait for the new 10.1 inch samsung tablet. I believe it will cost more than the Xoom but its another option. Here are some specs for that device:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=953341
I just bought one yesterday from office depot after looking at the tabs in general for awhile and
Buying a archos 7 first. I got rid of that because it wasn't what I thought. I think the g tab is the coolest
toy I have ever had. If you want just a giant cell phone without the phone then wait for the Xoom.
The new Elocity A10 is coming out, but the 4gb is more money than the 16gb Gtablet. For the extra money you get a (supposedly) better screen and backlit buttons. But, since it hasn't been shipped out yet you have no idea about the quirks involved.
The Notion Adam looks cool, people that have it seem to like it but who knows how long it will take to get your hands on one. I would wait and watch since it is a new company.
The Archos 101 has it's pluses like a ton of codecs, but it has bugs and also supposedly has a bad screen. The price is nice though.
The Xoom is $800 and requires a month of Verizon service. It is a great looking tablet, but if I were going to spend that much I could get a good computer with money left over.
You can wait forever for more tablets tablets to come out. When the iPad was announced I kept hearing over and over that a better, cheaper Android tablet was on the way. Here we are, nearly a year out and there is nothing that competes.
Were I think the G tab excels is price point. Especially if you can get the $279 price. It has a great following on this site, a good set of hardware and once it is rooted it flies.
Buy the gtablet...better yet buy two for the cost of one xoom! We'll get honeycomb too.
If you're willing to wait, also consider toshiba's tablet. http://www.thetoshibatablet.com/
I like that it uses a full SD Card slot for cheaper/larger storage options (>32gb) and has a user replaceable battery.
vpad10s ?
I've seen a lot of comparisons between the Gtablet and other tabs, but what does everyone about the vpad10s?
From the specs and all, it looks like a dual boot Gtab, which has its own appeals.
yelrx8 said:
I've seen a lot of comparisons between the Gtablet and other tabs, but what does everyone about the vpad10s?
From the specs and all, it looks like a dual boot Gtab, which has its own appeals.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dual boot would be great if the device would at least come with Android 2.2 but instead only having 1.6 makes it deal breaker for me.
And then there's the Touchpad, the HP/Palm WebOS tablet that's due out this summer:
palm.com/us/products/pads/touchpad/index.html
Was in the same boat...
I was torn between waiting and getting the G...ended up with the G-tablet and no regrets once I figured out how to encode high def video so it would play.
Wth TNTLite installed, this thing really hums, and frankly, I was expecting a seriously bad screen, and while it's not a 90 degree viewing angle, it looks fantastic when you're looking right at it (and frankly, if I'm using it, I'm looking at it).
Not to mention that at the price they're going for (and I had shipping and taxes to get to Canada), it is still soooo much cheaper than any of the alternatives with same specs (The Elocity A10 for around the same price only has 4GB onboard).
Hope that helps...
You can always wait for something better, but for us it was a matter that it seemed like a great deal for the price. I had the FCs with the stock TnT apps but after installing the vegan rom everything is great.
Would of loved to have gotten a Xoom, but considering we got 2 Tegra2 based 10' tabs for the same price, and they do everything that we need I am satisfied.
Thanks everyone for your posts.
I have ordered a GTab from Amazon (should be here tomorrow.. you have to love prime). I have not ordered a keyboard yet nor a sd card. But have a 6gb card that should work for now.
If all goes well then I will keep it. I will try the xoom when it comes out, but for the money and features of the Gtab and for the use I need (really just notes in meetings and browsing the web) I think I am good.
Another question: I want to use either a USB keyboard or a RF keyboard/Track ball) what ROM do you suggest?
And if I wanted to make a backup of the current ROM before I upgrade what do you suggest? Or should I just use one of the manufacturer ROMs listed in the dev forum?
Again thank you for your help.
Up until last week, I too, was torn between waiting for the Xoom, or 'settling' with a lesser tab like the Galaxy Tab.
I picked up a Viewsonic G Tablet at Sears for $399, rooting it 30 minutes after unwrapping it, I've no regrets. My reasoning was as follows:
1 - Wanted it to be Android-based, so no Ipad.
2 - Galaxy Tab at 7", a little too small.
3 - Tegra2 based, should be Honeycomb-ready, no need for a rear camera.
4 - Xoom, even if Wifi-only version is released, I doubt it would beat the GTab at price.
This should last me until maybe the next gen of Android tablets arrive next year.
Currently running Vegan 5.1.1 ROM, with full market, all the apps I could want. This is so much fun!
Really was an easy choice for me. Price plus fun of rooting and flashing roms while I wait for honeycomb. The gtab rules and my friends that get to play with mine can't put it down. I can't put it down ;-)
So, I've got a US LTE 32GB that connects only at HSPA speeds in most places, and I'm about over the tablet.
What device is out there that:
-Is approximately 8" form factor
-Has LTE that works in the US
-Includes a microSD port and some way to do HDMI out so I can hook it up to a standard TV
-Isn't completely bootloader locked / must have root and XDA Dev support
Frankenscript said:
So, I've got a US LTE 32GB that connects only at HSPA speeds in most places, and I'm about over the tablet.
What device is out there that:
-Is approximately 8" form factor
-Has LTE that works in the US
-Includes a microSD port and some way to do HDMI out so I can hook it up to a standard TV
-Isn't completely bootloader locked / must have root and XDA Dev support
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huawei MediaPad M3 8.4"
Thanks. Looks like only international version / no warranty available on Amazon. Seems like a concern to me. Any other devices more available in the US , with warranty?
Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk
Lol, I just got into the market for a tablet myself.. I spent almost a day researching the perfect tablet.
Here's what I found.
Top Android tablets.
1) Pixel C, tegra X1 cpu. No sdcard slot. 10inch screen. $600 for 32gb. Performs slightly better than K1 tablets in most benchmarks, but 100% better in others.
2) Nvidia shield K1, tegra K1 cpu, sdcard slot, front facing speakers, hdmi out, 8inch screen. Great display. $200, discontinued and can't find anywhere other than ebay for well over $200...
3) Nexus 9, tegra K1 cpu, no sd card slot, front facing speakers. cheap build quality, screen has light bleed, scores 20%worse than shield tablet in benchmarks. 8.9 inch display. $290 for 32gb black WiFi, will be gone soon. Or $500 for 32gb lte
That's it.. all the rest of the Android tablets are subpar. The Galaxy tab S3 is the only other honorable mention. Doesn't perform as well as K1 cpus but looks like a solid tablet... But $500?? Get outta here...
I wasn't looking to spend over $300 on a tablet... I intend to use it for gaming and web browsing and watching movies. Clearly the shield tablet is the best bang for the buck by farrrr... So I kept checking eBay over the last 2 days and found a pristine one for $200 from a reputable seller ...
TL: DR - the Nvidia shield tablet is still the number one Android tablet on the market, at least for my needs. The pixel c is seemingly great, but​ too big and heavy, has no expandable storage, and far over priced.
Why don't you just drop data on the tablet and turn your phone into a hotspot?? I hotspot for my PC from my pixel XL all the time when my net goes out.. im able to competitively game in twitch games with only an extra 25ping...
All the other tablets lose something to gain something. THE PERFECT tablet would be the cancelled shield tablet 2 with the x1 cpu.. looks like their deal with Nintendo caused them to back out of the tablet game for a bit. I don't expect to see it for another year maybe two. If ever.
lucid888 said:
Lol, I just got into the market for a tablet myself.. I spent almost a day researching the perfect tablet.
Here's what I found.
Top Android tablets.
1) Pixel C, tegra X1 cpu. No sdcard slot. 10inch screen. $600 for 32gb. Performs slightly better than K1 tablets in most benchmarks, but 100% better in others.
2) Nvidia shield K1, tegra K1 cpu, sdcard slot, front facing speakers, hdmi out, 8inch screen. Great display. $200, discontinued and can't find anywhere other than ebay for well over $200...
3) Nexus 9, tegra K1 cpu, no sd card slot, front facing speakers. cheap build quality, screen has light bleed, scores 20%worse than shield tablet in benchmarks. 8.9 inch display. $290 for 32gb black WiFi, will be gone soon. Or $500 for 32gb lte
That's it.. all the rest of the Android tablets are subpar. The Galaxy tab S3 is the only other honorable mention. Doesn't perform as well as K1 cpus but looks like a solid tablet... But $500?? Get outta here...
I wasn't looking to spend over $300 on a tablet... I intend to use it for gaming and web browsing and watching movies. Clearly the shield tablet is the best bang for the buck by farrrr... So I kept checking eBay over the last 2 days and found a pristine one for $200 from a reputable seller ...
TL: DR - the Nvidia shield tablet is still the number one Android tablet on the market, at least for my needs. The pixel c is seemingly great, but​ too big and heavy, has no expandable storage, and far over priced.
Why don't you just drop data on the tablet and turn your phone into a hotspot?? I hotspot for my PC from my pixel XL all the time when my net goes out.. im able to competitively game in twitch games with only an extra 25ping...
All the other tablets lose something to gain something. THE PERFECT tablet would be the cancelled shield tablet 2 with the x1 cpu.. looks like their deal with Nintendo caused them to back out of the tablet game for a bit. I don't expect to see it for another year maybe two. If ever.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks @lucid888 for a great post.
Using my phone as a hotspot is doable if necessary, but it becomes a frying pan quickly, and the battery dies fast. I've considered dropping the idea of an LTE tablet and instead getting a mifi/jetpack whatever dedicated hotspot too, and turning it on whenever I want to run the tablet away from normal wifi zones, but that's complicated and it's another thing to lug around. Sigh.
I just loved my tablet with built in LTE that I could take anywhere and it just worked well. Now it works slowly. Another sigh.
I've no idea why LTE-enabled Android tablets are so few and far between. I know lots of "iOS" people that have iPad minis, and they all have the cellular version. Then again, they probably couldn't figure out HOW to tether it to a phone or mobile hotspot, so they need the built in connectivity.
I'm tempted to pop for one of those MediaPads on a lark... but it could be an expensive lark due to lack of US warranty.
For now I'll just sit tight. Sooner or later the right device will show up. If you (or anybody reading this) finds anything new, please post about it here!
I'm seeing the mediapads on Amazon with a US warranty for $300, WiFi only though. I did look at the mediapad m3, but it's gpu the Mali 8800 m4 is underwhelming and performs ~40-50% worse than the K1 gpu. It has bottom firing speakers, apparently they are great though. Also has the miu os to deal with, which for me is a huge turn off.
From what I can see, the only tablet that can beat the shield is a non existent 8" X1 powered tablet, priced around $300 from either Nvidia, Google or htc. Thanks to Nintendo I don't think we'll see one too soon. Maybe a Snapdragon 835 tablet would do the trick too... But the $500 Galaxy tab S3 is only using the 820..
Also take a look at the mediapad m3 development section on XDA, there is literally nothing.
lucid888 said:
Lol, I just got into the market for a tablet myself.. I spent almost a day researching the perfect tablet.
Here's what I found.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I came to a lot of the same conclusions.
- Pixel C: way too expensive.
- Nexus 9: while I have loved a lot of HTC devices, this one is nothing special.
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S3: Also way too expensive. 9.7" form factor is also bigger than I want, as it seems Sammy has abandoned the 8"-ish form factor in their high end "S" series tablets. I might be able to overlook that. But I'm still sore about how Samsung handled the Tab Pro 8.4. Zero major updates (just a few patches) so it was stuck on the Kitkat it was released with (if not for the dev community which kept it kept for a bit). And many folks (myself included) suffered battery charging issues, which the company never acknowledged.
- Huawei MediaPad M3: Good price, cice hardware, but crap software. And zero developer support means you can't do anything about that.
All in all, I've decided my Shield K1 is sufficient for my needs; especially considering the lack of a worthy replacement. I'd like something a little snappier (especially since I upgraded my phone to the OnePlus 3T with Snapdragon 821). But I'm content to wait and see if anything better comes around.
I'd be perfectly happy to upgrade to the next version Shield, be it X1 or whatever it would be. But I am skeptical there will be a "next" version.
The only thing I feel lacking on the K1 shield is the memory capacity, and maybe it's battery life. The 2gb doesn't seem to be enough for Albion online which I was hoping I'd be able to play on it.. apparently it used to work but now crashes while loading or two seconds after loading. Hoping it gets fixed, but they do say in their minimum the game will eventually require 3gb min ;(...
I really love everything about the shield from it's size, it's front facing speakers, it's HDMI output, it's graphical capability, sd slot. I don't want to lose any of those features... I may be able to live without the front facing speakers but I really like how versitile the device is being able to plug it into the TV and play movies and emulators with zero input lag. There isn't another device I'm aware of that can do that. A next gen shield is my only hope for a succesor to this device. But again it's not happening any time soon thanks to Nintendo, and lmao my phone literally just auto suggested Nintendo without me even typing N.
Hopefully their non-compete with Nintendo doesn't last long, and by then they can hopefully produce at least an X1 tablet around the ~250 price range.
Lack of LTE for K1 is a deal breaker for me, and my original shield doesn't do more than HSPA+ due to modem issues not yet fixed...
Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk
I've had the Nvidia Shield K1 tablet for about two years now and it's by far one of my favorite Android devices. The build is solid, premium, and durable. The speakers are great and the display still holds its own. Even now, many years after it's original release, this tablet is a powerhouse when handling most Android apps and a joy to game on. Despite its lack of selection, I've been very pleased with the GeForce Now streaming service and I like to know that GameStream is available whenever I invest in a PC upgrade. It handles supported Android games like a champ and I'm rooted for the sole purpose of PS4 remote play, which usually runs better than on my PS Vita (and with a native controller!)
I've been waiting years for it's proper successor (since before I even bought one) and have been dealt a number of blows.
First of all, I'm extremely disappointed that Nvidia's gaming services haven't branched out to any other devices. To my knowledge, even the Pixel C doesn't support the GeForce gaming app despite running on Nvidia hardware.
I remember reading that development on the second generation of Shield tablets was halted for Nvidia to work with Nintendo on the Switch. Despite not being a huge Nintendo fan in recent years, I'd happily trade in my K1 for a Switch if it had any additional tablet functionality at all. However, my understanding is that they have yet to even add video streaming services, much less the capacity to function as a student/work laptop like my Shield does.
Overall I'm upset to see the decline of Android tablets in general. From the Nexus 7 to the Nvidia Shield, $200-400 tablets were finally proving to be capable devices when the market dried up. Now Google seems to be confirming the death of Android tablets by replacing them with overpriced and under-delivering Chrome OS devices, which I have no affinity for.
Now that my Shield is starting to show it's age, where do I turn for a quality portable gaming device with web and app functionality? My options seem to be:
a) Buy a Switch, enjoy the games, hope for an update that adds more media and web functionality
b) Pixel C from eBay (does anyone own both of these devices that can offer a comparison, especially when it comes to gaming?)
c) Something way overpriced like a Surface Pro or iPad (which isn't gonna happen anytime soon but seems closest to what I'm looking for in the current market)
Are there any alternatives that I'm overlooking? Thanks!
I've been struggling with this myself - what tablet to get next. I'm not necessarily in a hurry to replace my Shield right away. But something snappier (more current gen processor) would be nice. And I have a few hairline cracks in the screen, which aren't always too noticeable, but obviously a replacement is due at some point. But what? There really isn't much out there. The gaming aspect of the Shield is cool. Although I have to admit I don't use it as much as I thought I would. Gaming is probably not deal breaker for me; but rather I use a tablet mainly for media consumption and general web browsing.
My thoughts on the options you listed, plus some of my own:
- I dislike the Apple ecosystem, as they seem more bent on telling folks what they want; instead of listening to, and actually giving them what they want.
- Pixel C is too old to invest in. Not any newer then the Shield. And I loathe to spend good money on old tech. Form what I understand, the Pixel C is retired and basically end of life (EOL) as far as Google is concerned. So again, a bad choice to put your money.
- MS Surface looks nice. But too expensive for what I use a tablet for (mostly media consumption, web browsing).
- Huawei seems to be one of the few companies committed to making Android tablets with a decent build quality. The M3 looks like a nice tablet, from a build quality aspect. But reviews comment that the processor performance, while fine for media consumption, is lackluster with games. The upcoming refreshed version M5 (they are supposedly skipping M4 since "4" is a bad luck number in Chinese culture) looks to improve the CPU performance. But the lack of a headphone jack is both puzzling for a tablet, and probably a deal breaker for me.
- Samsung Tab S3 looks nice, but very expensive still ($450, released at $600) and probably due from a refresh soon. Although that price point, might scare me away from it's successor! As it did for the S3 when it came out.
- ASUS Zenpad 3S gets good reviews in some places as the best (or at least, one of the best) Android tablet you can get right now. Build quality, while nice looking, is apparently not quite up to par (a little "creaky") with iPad or maybe Huawei. But it has a great screen, and decent processor performance. Again, we are probably due for a refresh (released Aug 2016). So I'm hesitant to spend money on something from almost 2 years ago.
- Apple dropped prices on the iPad to $329 (32 GB) version last year (and same for this years version). It's a great value for a high quality tablet. As mentioned, I'm not going to switch to the iOS ecosystem. But Android tablet makers may (probably) be forced to match quality and price, and that may be a good thing for us. Releasing a tablet like the Zenpad for $300, with slightly questionable build quality is probably not going to cut it. On a similar note, a new Samsung (S4?) without much more functionality than an iPad, selling for $600 is not justified, either.
redpoint73 said:
I've been struggling with this myself - what tablet to get next. I'm not necessarily in a hurry to replace my Shield right away. But something snappier (more current gen processor) would be nice. And I have a few hairline cracks in the screen, which aren't always too noticeable, but obviously a replacement is due at some point. But what? There really isn't much out there. The gaming aspect of the Shield is cool. Although I have to admit I don't use it as much as I thought I would. Gaming is probably not deal breaker for me; but rather I use a tablet mainly for media consumption and general web browsing.
My thoughts on the options you listed, plus some of my own:
- I dislike the Apple ecosystem, as they seem more bent on telling folks what they want; instead of listening to, and actually giving them what they want.
- Pixel C is too old to invest in. Not any newer then the Shield. And I loathe to spend good money on old tech. Form what I understand, the Pixel C is retired and basically end of life (EOL) as far as Google is concerned. So again, a bad choice to put your money.
- MS Surface looks nice. But too expensive for what I use a tablet for (mostly media consumption, web browsing).
- Huawei seems to be one of the few companies committed to making Android tablets with a decent build quality. The M3 looks like a nice tablet, from a build quality aspect. But reviews comment that the processor performance is a bit spotty. And the lack of a headphone jack is both puzzling for a tablet, and probably a deal breaker for me.
- Samsung Tab S3 looks nice, but very expensive still ($450, released at $600) and probably due from a refresh soon. Although that price point, might scare me away from it's successor! As it did for the S3 when it came out.
- ASUS Zenpad 3S gets good reviews in some places as the best (or at least, one of the best) Android tablet you can get right now. Build quality, while nice looking, is apparently not quite up to par (a little "creaky") with iPad or maybe Huawei. But it has a great screen, and decent processor performance. Again, we are probably due for a refresh (released Aug 2016). So I'm hesitant to spend money on something from almost 2 years ago.
- Apple dropped prices on the iPad to $329 (32 GB) version last year (and same for this years version). It's a great value for a high quality tablet. As mentioned, I'm not going to switch to the iOS ecosystem. But Android tablet makers may (probably) be forced to match quality and price, and that may be a good thing for us. Releasing a tablet like the Zenpad for $300, with slightly questionable build quality is probably not going to cut it. On a similar note, a new Samsung (S4?) without much more functionality than an iPad, selling for $600 is not justified, either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I appreciate your feedback and agree with most of it, all of the competition is too old or way overpriced. Samsung is getting there, their phones look a lot nicer and their software skins are less obnoxious but their tablets look totally stuck in the past. ASUS and Huawei have been viable alternatives but never seemed to quite hit the mark. As an Android fanboy, I love the Pixel C but ultimately couldn't pull the trigger for the exact reasons you listed. Apple has a dictative and overly minimalist approach but that being said...
I actually jumped the shark a couple days ago and bought a 10.5" iPad Pro w/ the Apple Pencil! The price is fair and the device is definitely high quality. It's taking more getting used to than I thought but the note-taking is fantastic and the fact that is has Civ 6 is a big deal for me haha. Apparently it even has PS4 Remote Play apps which I have yet to try.
I think Android is more friendly and intuitive but I have a new appreciation for Apple's design and hardware. However, the app stores are a lot more similar than I thought. For some reason I expected more selection on iOS especially in exclusive games. In general, the "Top Charts" are very similar between iOS & Android and most iOS exclusive apps are paid for. The platform really seems built for someone that also has an iPhone, Homepod, Apple TV and Mac which I have none of (this is my first and only Apple device). Despite small complaints and frustrations, it's just a really pretty device that handles my needs very well once I identify a workflow.
Overall, it was a really foreign choice for me to make. I've had Windows PCs my whole life and have been on the Android train since the OG Droid. I still might return this model for the newer & cheaper 2018 iPad. If a new Pixel tablet were to drop tomorrow, I'm sure I'd trade for it in a heartbeat. But given the current tablet market, I'm happy with this investment.
Pretty much in the same boat. The shield is still very usable for what I want and need it to do (chess, chrome, youtube and pdf reading) but sooner or later it eventually will have to be replaced. Also, the major reason I started using it as a media consumption device are all the ram problems so little by little I got rid of most of the stuff (including google apps lol!) and ended up using it for its nice screen and speakers and not its strong chip, but I would be so happy if we were to ever see a follow up to the shield tablet (sadly that's not happening). Heck, I would pay double the price of the K1. It seems that android tablets are slowly losing to apple (of course I'm not talking about premium ultra expensive samsung tabs). One last hope for android tablets could be the Mi pad 4 from xiaomi when it releases and that's it. Though, there is this new tablet os google is working on, so maybe that will be enough to spark more interest in tablets once again so we can survive one more tablet generation
The issue is nvidia decided that tablet market was not strong enough and that they would not put out a replacement for our tablets. Unfortunately that is much the consensus for cheaper/under 9 in.
I would really like to see a x1 or x2 based tablet with oled 4k screen...
Nah... it's called the Nintendo Switch... nVidia is selling plenty of mobile chips without the headaches of their own tablet.