Quick review: Hardware is good for the price, software is bad. - Fire HD 8 and HD 10 General

Just bought an HD 10 (7th) and used for hours. I had decided not to do any sort of hacks and use it as it is, as normal people would to see how usable it is.
The hardware, for the price I paid, about $80 for a used one, was good. I think it is good even for the full price $150. The screen is not spectacularly good like high-end super-high resolution AMOLED, and the bottom half is slightly dimmer than the upper half, but I have seen many worse screens. This screen does not annoy me much. And for the price, I have no complaints.
The speakers are not as good as the iPad Pro 9.7" I had, but at least it is not annoyingly tinny like the $99 Windows 10 tablet I had So, the sound quality is not that good, but not that bad. And the volume can be loud. In short, it is passable. Basically like high-end phone speakers.
The speed is surprisingly fast. I expected a lot more sluggish performance, but most of the time, the performance is quite pleasant. Maybe this is because I have used old tablets (2013 or before). Those used ARM 32bit. Fire HD10 uses ARM 64bit. Maybe 64bit Android is generally faster. I don't know. But the important thing is, the performance is good for using general apps other than games.
My biggest complaint about the hardware is the weird position of volume buttons. The loud speaker position clearly suggests that this is meant to be used in landscape mode while listening to music/watching videos. But if I hold the tablet in landscape mode, the volume buttons will be placed at the bottom of the left side, which makes it really difficult to press.
Now, the software. I have installed all the updates, but the Android version is basically 5.1, which is almost 4 years old. It is so ancient, that it is unbelievable that in 2018 Amazon is still using this OS for their latest generation popular tablet. It does not even support split window. I was so used to it (my old Samsung devices support it anyway even with old Android), for a moment, I could not figure out why it was not working. It turned out that this feature was first added to Android 7.0. I have searched Amazon's AppStore for some basic utility apps (volume controller on Notification) but the search results was so small, and even the apps in the results were very very old. Their screenshots were using Android 2.3 or something. I am quite sure that those apps are not even maintained. Basically, the store seemed dead.
So, in short, it is a shame that the software is greatly limiting a relatively nice hardware. I am new to Fire tablets, but Android 5.1 is pretty much the last Android version Fire HD 10 will ever get, right? A four-year-old OS with a dead app store. I know the chance is very slim, but I really do wish some smart people could unlock the bootloader and port LineageOS to it. That will triple this tablet's value.

"But if I hold the tablet in landscape mode, the volume buttons will be placed at the bottom of the left side, which makes it really difficult to press."
That's only because you're holding the tablet upside down.
The show mode charging dock (which I have) when used, has the speakers facing up, and therefore the volume buttons in the upper right.

yourrealking said:
Now, the software. I have installed all the updates, but the Android version is basically 5.1, which is almost 4 years old. It is so ancient, that it is unbelievable that in 2018 Amazon is still using this OS for their latest generation popular tablet. It does not even support split window.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
7th gen HD 10 was discontinued last year. 8th gen devices come with FireOS 6.x based on Android 7.1.2
yourrealking said:
So, in short, it is a shame that the software is greatly limiting a relatively nice hardware. I am new to Fire tablets, but Android 5.1 is pretty much the last Android version Fire HD 10 will ever get, right? A four-year-old OS with a dead app store. I know the chance is very slim, but I really do wish some smart people could unlock the bootloader and port LineageOS to it. That will triple this tablet's value.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's designed to be an Amazon shopping portal, not a general purpose Android gizmo. OS age and app store vibrancy are largely irrelevant if feeding/supporting Amazon's closed ecosystem. That said, one can sideload many popular apps without 'hacking''; sideload capability is fully supported by Amazon and FireOS.

Ponsonby_Britt said:
"But if I hold the tablet in landscape mode, the volume buttons will be placed at the bottom of the left side, which makes it really difficult to press."
That's only because you're holding the tablet upside down.
The show mode charging dock (which I have) when used, has the speakers facing up, and therefore the volume buttons in the upper right.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, they meant the front camera to be on the right in landscape mode? Then the power button becomes the weird place, but since I use the volume buttons more often, I may try to use it in that direction. But still, that is weird, because most of Android phones and tablets I have used so far, seemed to be rotated to the left (front camera to the left).

Davey126 said:
7th gen HD 10 was discontinued last year. 8th gen devices come with FireOS 6.x based on Android 7.1.2
It's designed to be an Amazon shopping portal, not a general purpose Android gizmo. OS age and app store vibrancy are largely irrelevant if feeding/supporting Amazon's closed ecosystem. That said, one can sideload many popular apps without 'hacking''; sideload capability is fully supported by Amazon and FireOS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But there aren't any 8th-generation HD 10. Amazon is still selling it, and Wikipedia says this model is still "current".
Yeah, I know Amazon wants to lock the users into their services, but the OS is so old that it is lacking split window, which should be a very useful feature for a tablet of this size. Preventing competing services like Google Movies/Books/Music may be beneficial for Amazon, but there are other services that are not available and there are no alternatives because they don't allow Google Play. For example, I cannot use Google Translate or Google Maps. Amazon does not provide a translator app. There was an in-built map, but it was too inferior. It showed mostly empty space for certain countries. I don't think Amazon is benefiting for having that stupid maps app. I guess they had to put it because there is no Google Maps. People buy Fire tablets not because they don't care about such things, but despite such things, because they are cheap. If those things were possible, more people would have bought them and maybe tried in-built Amazon services. I mean, those services need not be mutually exclusive, does it? B&N has the Play Store on their tablet.

yourrealking said:
But there aren't any 8th-generation HD 10. Amazon is still selling it, and Wikipedia says this model is still "current".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep - my error. Read HD 10 but brain registered HD 8. Sorry about that.
yourrealking said:
Yeah, I know Amazon wants to lock the users into their services, but the OS is so old that it is lacking split window, which should be a very useful feature for a tablet of this size. Preventing competing services like Google Movies/Books/Music may be beneficial for Amazon, but there are other services that are not available and there are no alternatives because they don't allow Google Play. For example, I cannot use Google Translate or Google Maps. Amazon does not provide a translator app. There was an in-built map, but it was too inferior. It showed mostly empty space for certain countries. I don't think Amazon is benefiting for having that stupid maps app. I guess they had to put it because there is no Google Maps. People buy Fire tablets not because they don't care about such things, but despite such things, because they are cheap. If those things were possible, more people would have bought them and maybe tried in-built Amazon services. I mean, those services need not be mutually exclusive, does it? B&N has the Play Store on their tablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure what the point is. Amazon is business savvey (to say the least) and has made the determination that excluding Google Play Services is more beneficial than including it. Speculation on how people might behave is just that - speculation. You can bet Amazon has considered all options and is comfortable with their direction. Same for updating the Android base. It will happen someday when benefits outweigh costs.

Related

CES 2011

I just spent the past two days at CES and in fact spent time in the Viewsonic booth.
There are so many tablets on display that one person in my party suggested that if you threw a Coke can 100 feet in any direction you would hit a tablet...
Overall in my opinion on a relative scale the Viewsonic G-tablet is not that bad given everything I have played with. Some other tablets might be a little leaner, maybe a little tighter build quality, but the main difference I see is the display in the Viewsonic.
And yes I did play with the Motorola tablet. While it is leaner and a better built I was shocked on how hot the tablet was when the Motorola person handed it over for me to play with. The G-tablet no matter what I have asked it to do, never gets "hot".
With respect to the Viewsonic tablets introduced at CES, their smaller tablet seems cheep in its constructions. Perhaps that is due to the use of silver colored plastic. And their dual-boot tablet... It was shown running Android 1.6. We asked Viewsonic and were told reboot it to get into Windows. After a power off and power on, I was presented with a boot manager window with Android and Windows as options. But it appeared to be looking for an arrow key press to move the selection bar. Basically I don't think Windows really is useful on the tablet without a keyboard. Perhaps this is why they were showing the tablet with Android. Thus I was never able to get into Windows and try that out.
The RIM tablet is very well built but running QNX. QNX is a realtime operating system and they were in the booth with RIM. QNT is something that is embedded in a product and normally never sees the light of day with respect to the end user. To be honest I worry about the ultimate availability of applications as QNX has nothing to do with Linux, Android, Windows anything, etc. Basically RIM is starting out from scratch. Their user interface is different. Not bad, just different. My opinion, shared with others that I talked with, is that this tablet will appeal to corporations who already have a RIM infrastructure in place and have users complaining they need a tablet. Note that the device on display was WiFi only, where RIM claimed that a unnamed carrier 4G device is near release.
Did you by chance check out the Notion Ink Adam tablet?
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
vsc said:
Note that the device on display was WiFi only, where RIM claimed that a unnamed carrier 4G device is near release.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would probably be Sprint, who is already advertising the Playbook's imminent release...
Wow! You found better build quality that the gTab? Even my Nook Color seems to have poorer QA as far as actual build goes, and I TRULU expected MUCH better of B&N... defective USB port on my first one OOB, and the casing feels "loose" on returned & exchanged units... however both are better than the Pandigital Novel(white v1) or Augen Gentouch78... although neither of these had defective ports, etc. OOB...
VPAD 10(dual boot one, I presume): Only runs Android 1.6 as it's the latest version that "officially"(?) supports Android for the x86 arch...
To be honest I could find a booth for them and they clearly are not in the show directory. The bloggers are finding them but they have armies of people all over the show floor.
cadillax02 said:
Did you by chance check out the Notion Ink Adam tablet?
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Overall there is a lot of junk Android tablets at the show.
It is notable that when the basic software is the same you have two ways to differentiate product. Industrial design, build quality, etc or a software framework such as TnT. Many products simply do neither.
Another notable fact is most tablets are running v2.2 of Android, even when their writeups for their product cite Android 3.0. I was put off by this.
I returned a NookColor because it developed 16+ hot pixels in the middle of the display. At night on a plane ride they just lit up to the point I decided this is too much it goes back. B&N gave me a lot of trouble returning the device, but after three hours of standing my ground they accepted the return. I decided to take a pass on the NookColor for now. And I agree the USB connector choice could have been much better. Also why go with a unique connector in the first place?
I want to say the coolest phone at the show is the LG Optimus 2X. I want one. NOW. We couldn't get it to lag, even when doing our best to crush it. The display quality is also very good. LG won a best of show award for a display and I think it is the same one used in the 2X.
cutterjohn said:
Wow! You found better build quality that the gTab? Even my Nook Color seems to have poorer QA as far as actual build goes, and I TRULU expected MUCH better of B&N... defective USB port on my first one OOB, and the casing feels "loose" on returned & exchanged units... however both are better than the Pandigital Novel(white v1) or Augen Gentouch78... although neither of these had defective ports, etc. OOB...
VPAD 10(dual boot one, I presume): Only runs Android 1.6 as it's the latest version that "officially"(?) supports Android for the x86 arch...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How was the Viewpad 10s? Better screen?
Nope
japhule said:
How was the Viewpad 10s? Better screen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my GTablet-TnT-Lite using Tapatalk
One of my co-workers bought back some info after the CES about the MOTO XOOM, he said that the software was very unstable and lot of FCs. He said that most hardware were ready and just google holding them up..
VSC: did you get your hands on the XOOM, was it unstable? We may need to wait for a few more months then...
tyy10002 said:
One of my co-workers bought back some info after the CES about the MOTO XOOM, he said that the software was very unstable and lot of FCs. He said that most hardware were ready and just google holding them up..
VSC: did you get your hands on the XOOM, was it unstable? We may need to wait for a few more months then...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I may be mis-reading this article:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/09/motorola-xoom-pretend-ui-hands-on-walkthrough-video/
but it sounds like they (MOTO) were showing a "fake" Honeycomb UI on the Xoom? Maybe that's why it was "unstable" ??
Jim
jimcpl said:
I may be mis-reading this article:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/09/motorola-xoom-pretend-ui-hands-on-walkthrough-video/
but it sounds like they (MOTO) were showing a "fake" Honeycomb UI on the Xoom? Maybe that's why it was "unstable" ??
Jim
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That article was kind of confusing.. Said they were running a fake UI on top of the REAL Honeycomb? How is that any different from running say, Launcherpro on top of Froyo? So we aren't running Froyo if we use a different launcher? Maybe they mean the Motorola specific launcher is unstable, I don't know..
At least they haven't put it up for sale as a totally unstable device like Viewsonic did, yet...
I imagine that by the time people can buy one of those surely overpriced, probably locked down tablets they will have all the kinks worked out. Just seeing the Verizon name makes me not want one.
So would you say the viewing angles of all these new tablets are light years ahead of the Viewsonic, tad better or the same?
Reason why I am asking... Should I wait or not on a G-Tablet with the expectation of upgrading in about 9 - 12 months.
vsc said:
I just spent the past two days at CES and in fact spent time in the Viewsonic booth.
There are so many tablets on display that one person in my party suggested that if you threw a Coke can 100 feet in any direction you would hit a tablet...
Overall in my opinion on a relative scale the Viewsonic G-tablet is not that bad given everything I have played with. Some other tablets might be a little leaner, maybe a little tighter build quality, but the main difference I see is the display in the Viewsonic.
And yes I did play with the Motorola tablet. While it is leaner and a better built I was shocked on how hot the tablet was when the Motorola person handed it over for me to play with. The G-tablet no matter what I have asked it to do, never gets "hot".
With respect to the Viewsonic tablets introduced at CES, their smaller tablet seems cheep in its constructions. Perhaps that is due to the use of silver colored plastic. And their dual-boot tablet... It was shown running Android 1.6. We asked Viewsonic and were told reboot it to get into Windows. After a power off and power on, I was presented with a boot manager window with Android and Windows as options. But it appeared to be looking for an arrow key press to move the selection bar. Basically I don't think Windows really is useful on the tablet without a keyboard. Perhaps this is why they were showing the tablet with Android. Thus I was never able to get into Windows and try that out.
The RIM tablet is very well built but running QNX. QNX is a realtime operating system and they were in the booth with RIM. QNT is something that is embedded in a product and normally never sees the light of day with respect to the end user. To be honest I worry about the ultimate availability of applications as QNX has nothing to do with Linux, Android, Windows anything, etc. Basically RIM is starting out from scratch. Their user interface is different. Not bad, just different. My opinion, shared with others that I talked with, is that this tablet will appeal to corporations who already have a RIM infrastructure in place and have users complaining they need a tablet. Note that the device on display was WiFi only, where RIM claimed that a unnamed carrier 4G device is near release.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sprdtyf350 said:
That article was kind of confusing.. Said they were running a fake UI on top of the REAL Honeycomb? How is that any different from running say, Launcherpro on top of Froyo? So we aren't running Froyo if we use a different launcher? Maybe they mean the Motorola specific launcher is unstable, I don't know..
At least they haven't put it up for sale as a totally unstable device like Viewsonic did, yet...
I imagine that by the time people can buy one of those surely overpriced, probably locked down tablets they will have all the kinks worked out. Just seeing the Verizon name makes me not want one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was a little confused by the article too, which is what I started with "I may be mis-reading...".
Jim
jimcpl said:
I was a little confused by the article too, which is what I started with "I may be mis-reading...".
Jim
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I saw that Just a general observation... Guess if it doesn't make sense it must be right! Right?
Well I was at CES also and the only thing I saw for Viewsonic was a little office and I was everywhere. Do you remember where they were? I played with the rim playbook for a bit the interface was nice then I watched for 20 minutes and I didn't see a single crash but I like that when you open different tabs in browser or media you could see all the pages that are open in small windows similar to when you have multiple pages open in Firefox on windows 7 rim playbook is a small platform.
Sprdtyf350 said:
That article was kind of confusing.. Said they were running a fake UI on top of the REAL Honeycomb? How is that any different from running say, Launcherpro on top of Froyo? So we aren't running Froyo if we use a different launcher? Maybe they mean the Motorola specific launcher is unstable, I don't know..
At least they haven't put it up for sale as a totally unstable device like Viewsonic did, yet...
I imagine that by the time people can buy one of those surely overpriced, probably locked down tablets they will have all the kinks worked out. Just seeing the Verizon name makes me not want one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was basically a demo video of Honeycomb playing in the Android video player in Honeycomb. The actual 3.0 on the Xoom was pretty much unpopulated. Empty screens and almost no apps. The only way to experience it was through the video.
All is very strong. Most of the tablets at the show have a similar display and are no better with respect to the viewing angles.
After talking to the display suppliers it would appear that in general the 10" displays have limited viewing angles (e.g. 90/50 degrees). Smaller panels (e.g. 5" and 7") have much better viewing angles (e.g. 160/140 degrees).
stanglx said:
So would you say the viewing angles of all these new tablets are light years ahead of the Viewsonic, tad better or the same?
Reason why I am asking... Should I wait or not on a G-Tablet with the expectation of upgrading in about 9 - 12 months.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Xoom vs Gtab - experience

Hi All,
I was like all other people and was so excited about the honeycomb and Xoom, So, I spent 30 mins on a local bestbuy and played around it.. here are my initial feedback.
First, the Xoom is very nice, very nice. It is definitely my favorite device out of 3 of them (gtab, xoom and ipad).
Screen: The screen looked very sharp and the viewing angles were very good. I tilted it with all kind of viewing angles and I could still see my screen (actually a youtube video). but, I found that the Ipad has a brighter screen.
Sound: The sound was much better than the Gtab. The volume was very loud and I just turned it on for 1/4. I played a few songs and the sound were just wonderful.. no complaint..
Touch: The touch was very sensitive and I was able to touch 3-4 fingers at the same time on a map. Gtab was limited to 2 touches. I found that the touch is more easy on the xoom than Ipad. My fingers was stick a little bit on ipad but not xoom. very nice.
Weight: Same weight as ipad and gtab (~1.5) but it definitely feels much lighter. The sides (left and right) are thinner, top and bottom are thicker. So, it creates an illusion that it is very thin looking from the side. Holding it is ok.
Build: Very good build quality but I felt that if I drop it, and it is done..
App: Honeycomb was nice and it took me less than 2 mins to get used to it (if you already have a gtab). But, most of the apps worked basically the same as running on gtab except youtube, gmail, music and etc. Developers need to start building apps for honeycomb to take advantage of the new OS. Otherwise, I found that I can do pretty much the same on my gtab..
Camera: the 5M rear camera was nice but the quality was ok.
Other: GPS, Accelemeter, etc.. worked great..
Negative:
- I didn't like that they put the headphone jack at the top and the power jack at the bottom.
- No accessories at all in store.
- the black color just didn't look expensive. they should have released a white or silver one..
Overall, it is very nice device but $800 is too much for me.. If Moto releases a $600 WIFI version, I would definitely get it. To be honest, I think that the extra $200 to get a Xoom is worthy. It is one of the devices I believe would make my brainwashed Apple Ipad co-workers soooooo jealous for a few weeks (until they get the ipad2..)
I guess that viewsonic needs to either upgrade the gtab to a better specs or lower the price to compete.
A few interesting (to me, anyway) tidbits about the Xoom:
1. Apparently no USB host function (jury still out)
2. Honeycomb appears to have dynamic management of app and media space. This is the reason the microsd does not work. Motorola has asked for a patch so microsd will work. Seems Honeycomb is intended to be a closed system for apps, just like iOS, but less restrictive (of course).
If you look in Xoom's settings, there is no "free space" for device storage allocation, but there is an item view of total app and media space used and a total free for the whole storage. No allocations.
Great info. thank you. Based on the above, nothing here puts me over the edge to upgrade above my baby (gtab). At the moment my plan is to upgrade the screen if one is released per other forum news and if a good tutorial comes with it for the install.
sniperscope said:
Great info. thank you. Based on the above, nothing here puts me over the edge to upgrade above my baby (gtab). At the moment my plan is to upgrade the screen if one is released per other forum news and if a good tutorial comes with it for the install.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apparently due to the new app and storage management, quite a few apps either do not install, work or they crash after short use. Honeycomb may be an OS best adapted once apps catch up to it.
rushless said:
Apparently no USB host function (jury still out).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I was wondering about that too. I gotta have USB Host on my tablet!
sniperscope said:
.... At the moment my plan is to upgrade the screen if one is released per other forum news and if a good tutorial comes with it for the install.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
me too +1
sniperscope said:
Great info. thank you. Based on the above, nothing here puts me over the edge to upgrade above my baby (gtab). At the moment my plan is to upgrade the screen if one is released per other forum news and if a good tutorial comes with it for the install.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will take that plunge if the option ever becomes a serious reality. Although it took me a second to get used to the viewing angle I do like the privacy aspect of the current screen. I feel totally comfortable doing my online banking and purchases in public.
Over all I'm sticking with my gtab. Stable, fast, flash and hulu working. I don't feel the need to upgrade for a long time. I don't even care about 3.0 at this point.
Mantara said:
I will take that plunge if the option ever becomes a serious reality. Although it took me a second to get used to the viewing angle I do like the privacy aspect of the current screen. I feel totally comfortable doing my online banking and purchases in public.
Over all I'm sticking with my gtab. Stable, fast, flash and hulu working. I don't feel the need to upgrade for a long time. I don't even care about 3.0 at this point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, screen could be better but is not garbage either so for the price I am quite happy with my new gtablet, I own a nexus one and the higher quality screen seem to pay off more on a smaller device than a full screen tablet.
I am quite confident that better rom will appear sooner than later and my current tnt with ADW is rock stable
Most app that doesn't install have issue with the CPU not the storage configuration IMHO.
I think google is making a mistake with the way they limit software based on device, I am trying to load firefox and it doesn't allow me because I used the market fix
I hope they realize they will force people to side-load apps from all kind of source often unreliable...
Also the market doesn't handle 2 device linked to the same account well it seem...
So more issue with Google than with my Gtab

Android tablets vs ipad questions

Hi, i am currently looking for a tablet, i am hoping in the long run it may replace my laptop but i am not going to sell that yet incase, but for day to day use i would like to use a tablet more.
i understand that on here we maybe a little more biased to apple, i usually am myself lol
i have always used android on my phones, i currently have a Samsung galaxy s2 using a custom rom, resurrection remix. So i do like android a lot and very comfortable using it.
on the other hand my girlfriend had an ipad 3 already and i do kind of like it a lot and use it a lot when im at hers, i never find any fault with it, it runs extremely smooth giving its lower specs to current new android tablets out. on my phone i must admit i will get the odd app saying it has to close or it couldn’t start and vie had to restart my phone etc.. i have not once seen my girlfriends ipad crash.
This now leaves me unsure about what to get and would like some opinions, my hearts telling me you have to stick with android because its what you know and love.. and your supposed to hate apple!
But my brain is telling me deep down, you know the ipad is going to be better long term with less problems and a much bigger market.
giving that android are having so many issues now with patents, they have lost the right to carry on using flash etc which used to be a big bonus for android users. how many other issues are going to crop up where every time you update your android tablet you will lose some of its function because android have been ordered to take it out because of a patent ruling.
this all kind of worries me a little in terms of the future, will devs start favouring apple before anyone else when it comes to making apps, will at some point they say we aren’t making them at all for android because of all these issues (of course they already make more for apple than they do android now) im just wondering if it will get worse? i know android was certainly catching up but i think that may start to reverse a little soon.
Most of the above comes from what i have either heard people say or what i have read, i dont know 100% of everything above is correct or not. so some advise would be good.
How good / bad is the android market and is the apple store that much better.
will all my current bought apps, and the majority of free ones probably work fine on an android tablet, or would some look stupid stretched, or do they have to be designed especially for tablet use?
I was wanting to be able to transfer files from usenet on my tablet to a media player, I’m guessing from what i have read that will be impossible with an ipad and do-able on an android tablet but still probably nowhere near as easy as from a laptop, this is one main reason i am not going to get rid of my laptop to soon incase it proves a nuisance. If i got an ipad i assume i would have to keep my laptop for this purpose?
is there any reason why the specs of say the ipad are fairly standard compared to some of the newer android tabs and i still hear a lot about the android tabs being sluggish sometimes and the menus not being smooth, if apple can do a dual core 1ghz pad with 1gb of ram and it be soo smooth, how come android tabs which are also 1 and sometimes 2gb have multi core cpu's at 1.2 - 1.6 ghz yet they perform much more sluggish to the ipad?
is it because android is being added into a whole host of different makers to fit their specs, where as the ipad is being made only for apples own operating systems therefore its always going to be smoother as its all been made for the one system rather than for multiple systems?
i am assuming if android also made their own hardware the two would go together much more smoothly, or am i wrong?
From reading the above back it feels like in am heading more towards the ipad, but i would like reasons why i should maybe not choose the ipad.
the tablets i have been looking at are:
Huawei MediaPad 10 (which i have literally only just come across but looks good specs)
Asus transformer pad infinity 32gb (i don’t know how much this is going to cost without the dock, i think i would only need the dock if i was to get rid of my laptop)
Samsung galaxy note 10.1
Ipad 3
Up to now that’s my shortlist, i would be looking at the 32gb versions unless the 64 wasn't a bad price, i am looking to spend about £400 - £500 max, i have seen new ipad 3's 64gb on ebay for £480, not sure how much the others will be, i would need to hold out for the 32gb or 64gb versions of the galaxy note 10.1 if i was to get that, not sure why they have only released a 16gb version and no others.
Thanks for any feedback you give
James
james_lpool said:
Hi, i am currently looking for a tablet, i am hoping in the long run it may replace my laptop but i am not going to sell that yet incase, but for day to day use i would like to use a tablet more.
i understand that on here we maybe a little more biased to apple, i usually am myself lol
i have always used android on my phones, i currently have a Samsung galaxy s2 using a custom rom, resurrection remix. So i do like android a lot and very comfortable using it.
on the other hand my girlfriend had an ipad 3 already and i do kind of like it a lot and use it a lot when im at hers, i never find any fault with it, it runs extremely smooth giving its lower specs to current new android tablets out. on my phone i must admit i will get the odd app saying it has to close or it couldn’t start and vie had to restart my phone etc.. i have not once seen my girlfriends ipad crash.
This now leaves me unsure about what to get and would like some opinions, my hearts telling me you have to stick with android because its what you know and love.. and your supposed to hate apple!
But my brain is telling me deep down, you know the ipad is going to be better long term with less problems and a much bigger market.
giving that android are having so many issues now with patents, they have lost the right to carry on using flash etc which used to be a big bonus for android users. how many other issues are going to crop up where every time you update your android tablet you will lose some of its function because android have been ordered to take it out because of a patent ruling.
this all kind of worries me a little in terms of the future, will devs start favouring apple before anyone else when it comes to making apps, will at some point they say we aren’t making them at all for android because of all these issues (of course they already make more for apple than they do android now) im just wondering if it will get worse? i know android was certainly catching up but i think that may start to reverse a little soon.
Most of the above comes from what i have either heard people say or what i have read, i dont know 100% of everything above is correct or not. so some advise would be good.
How good / bad is the android market and is the apple store that much better.
will all my current bought apps, and the majority of free ones probably work fine on an android tablet, or would some look stupid stretched, or do they have to be designed especially for tablet use?
I was wanting to be able to transfer files from usenet on my tablet to a media player, I’m guessing from what i have read that will be impossible with an ipad and do-able on an android tablet but still probably nowhere near as easy as from a laptop, this is one main reason i am not going to get rid of my laptop to soon incase it proves a nuisance. If i got an ipad i assume i would have to keep my laptop for this purpose?
is there any reason why the specs of say the ipad are fairly standard compared to some of the newer android tabs and i still hear a lot about the android tabs being sluggish sometimes and the menus not being smooth, if apple can do a dual core 1ghz pad with 1gb of ram and it be soo smooth, how come android tabs which are also 1 and sometimes 2gb have multi core cpu's at 1.2 - 1.6 ghz yet they perform much more sluggish to the ipad?
is it because android is being added into a whole host of different makers to fit their specs, where as the ipad is being made only for apples own operating systems therefore its always going to be smoother as its all been made for the one system rather than for multiple systems?
i am assuming if android also made their own hardware the two would go together much more smoothly, or am i wrong?
From reading the above back it feels like in am heading more towards the ipad, but i would like reasons why i should maybe not choose the ipad.
the tablets i have been looking at are:
Huawei MediaPad 10 (which i have literally only just come across but looks good specs)
Asus transformer pad infinity 32gb (i don’t know how much this is going to cost without the dock, i think i would only need the dock if i was to get rid of my laptop)
Samsung galaxy note 10.1
Ipad 3
Up to now that’s my shortlist, i would be looking at the 32gb versions unless the 64 wasn't a bad price, i am looking to spend about £400 - £500 max, i have seen new ipad 3's 64gb on ebay for £480, not sure how much the others will be, i would need to hold out for the 32gb or 64gb versions of the galaxy note 10.1 if i was to get that, not sure why they have only released a 16gb version and no others.
Thanks for any feedback you give
James
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you prefer the ipad then go for that, it's fine asking what people think but they don't have to live with the tablet you get, you do and it sounds like you've made a choice and are hoping people can change your mind.
Regarding not seeing ipad crash, well no one does because when it does crash it won't actually tell you and on startup of an app it shows a picture not the app itself.
This makes it seem to start quicker as user thinks they are seeing the app starts and if app crashes and restarts the user won't usually realise.
Android didn't lose the right to have flash, adobe chose to pull it....but it is still available for uk android users from play store.
You can stream media from an android tablet to other devices using free apps like mediahouse upnp dlna. You can try some apps on your phone to see if they do what you need.
Android appears more sluggish than ios because ios prioritises user input whereas android multitasks fully and so doesn't single out one aspect for more attention although jellybean does try to improve ui interaction to be much smoother.
The ipad will be easy to use and do what you want, you will lose the customisation and lack of restrictions offered by android so you might get bored a bit but it will do the job just fine.
Apps wise both markets are fine but apples is safer if you're worried about malware, both have a large amount of apps to choose from but a lot of devs do release to ios first because it is easier to code for (ie not hundreds of different spec devices to get an app working on, just a few) and has a high number of users who pay well for apps.
As for apps on android tablets, some do have special tablet only versions but most adapt to your tablets resolution so most should look fine especially as more and more phones are released with higher tablet like resolutions and as these resolutions are becoming much more common developers make their apps display better on them.
Dave
( http://www.google.com/producer/editions/CAownKXmAQ/bigfatuniverse )
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk 2
Whichever you decide... You have to keep in mind what you are going to use the tablet for to begin with... There are alot of things that tablets cannot do well which in turn we use our personal computers for... These tablets are new technology, and will be growing at an exponential rate... As of now the tablets are performing more and more than once originally released... I myself will not be giving up or replacing my computer for a tablet because I do lots of photo editing, video editing and most importantly my music software... So as for a tablet, I would only be using it to browse the web and social networking alongside the other various basic needs for internet use... As of now I currently own a Galaxy Nexus from Sprint, and it suffices for the daily rounds of networking and web search... But in the future with the new implementation of Microsoft Windows 8 and tablets, it seems that I might be replacing my PC... But in my opinion... Wait for the better tablets... Apple builds it's hardware to do what it does... There is little room to upgrade anything efficiently... Android is working on making their devices more breathable like a personal computer...
And in my opinion, Microsoft is the leading factor here as far as developing the better tablet... I am not a big Microsoft guy as opposed to Linux... But the money, resources, and experience tend to lean at Microsoft... In my opinion... Get the low cost Nexus 7 tablet for now... Keep the laptop... And save up for the swagger that Microsoft might develop here in the near future... or wait for Android to steal the spotlight and WOW us with the new tablet that might one day surpass the PC...
As far as Apple and their products... I am against them simply because of the crybaby courtroom antics... I will probably never buy another Apple product again because of their David Caruso like opportunistic grievances over their patents... They simply lost money because they're not on the ball as quick as Samsung... They lost out on sales due to the minimal changes in the iPhone hardware and design... It was a great run for the awesome product when it FIRST came out on the market... I think that their devices are well put together... but on the same note... the patents are ridiculous... and pretty soon someone will see the lawsuit rulings and get the bright idea of making car companies start having to pay royalties to whomever developed the first vehicle, and we'll all be driving on 3 tires instead of four...
Okay, first off, the myth about ipads never crashing is not true. iOS has a weird way of force closing crashed apps in the background, so you would never know that it happened. The reason why iOS seems very fast is that the OS itself is optimized to run on less resources and iOS has zero fragmentation. The main problem with android is the lack of unity in hardware and software. Apple has full control of iOS and hardware, so it is very efficient in that sense.
Moving on to the issue of replacing a computer with a tablet. My own view is that the easy things that you do on a laptop is a bit harder on a tablet as its OS tends to be much simpler and that means it can include a limited number of features. My suggestion is to wait for the new Microsoft Surface RT and Pro. http://www.pcworld.com/article/2601...s_surface_pro_which_tablet_will_you_want.html
The Pro version has a fully-powered intel ivy bridge cpu with a fully featured windows 8 in a tablet form. If the form factor has you staying away from laptops, then this is the thing for you. Keep in mind that the surface pro is essentially a laptop in tablet form and I think that's pretty cool.
If you really insist on just a android tablet, then it's either the asus transformer infinity or the galaxy note 10.1. I personally have used asus transformer pads and they are AMAZING. They are designed beautifully and definitely high-end. I haven't used the galaxy note 10.1, but the exynos quad does give it a significant boost over the asus tablet.
Reasons for not choosing ipad:
1. The ipad 3 is nothing that new. It still packs the outdated A5 cpu, but the gpu is something noteworthy. Retinal display is alright, b/c to tell you the truth, I can't tell the difference.
2. You cannot customize the ipad to your liking, that means no custom ROMs, kernels or skins, just plain-old iOS
3. The truth is between ipad and android tablets, it comes down to control and whether you like rooting and flashing ROMs. If you're tech-savvy and like to tinker with stuff, then go with android. If not, then it's down to personal preference, ipad or android, choose what you like.
4. Don't support Apple and it's anti-competition ways (more of a joke reason)
Good luck on choosing a tablet
If you want apps go for the iPad simple as. It has a greater catalogue of apps designed for the tablet which is lacking on Android. I've had an android tablet before but now own the new iPad. The apps are far better, and better optimised to make use of the hardware. The OS is smooth and optimised.
I use an android phone and an ipad to give me best of both worlds. I got bored with my Samsung Galaxy 10.1 tablet as it just felt like a bigger version of of phone.
Also Apple hardware tends to hold value better than most other products. So that's another thing to consider if reselling in the future.
Both are good don't get me wrong but choose one based on what you need and want it to do.
I use my iPad for streaming my music via home sharing, browsing the net, social networking, I watch my tv on it whilst in my bed by streaming off my satellite box, reading books, editing images now and then for quick fixes, and more.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
The people above have already summarized the main points, but allow me to emphasize a few things:
james_lpool said:
Hi, i am currently looking for a tablet, i am hoping in the long run it may replace my laptop
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The tablets currently out will not replace your laptop. Both android and especially iOS are pretty much toy OS's that, for example, only let you work with one app at a time (though there are some limited efforts on the android side to overcome it). The closest you might come to replacing your laptop is the Surface Pro, coming Jan 2013ish, or the mysterious Ubuntu tablets that haven't materialized so far. Even those probably won't be powerful enough; it'll take a few years for the technology to catch up.
That is why I bought my tablet (the nexus 7) in a completely different niche than my laptop. It's meant to be an easy-to-carry, convenient device for mostly consumption.
Of the ipad alternatives you listed, I reckon that the galaxy note 10.1 is the most interesting. Who knows, maybe the stylus actually would be as useful as they portray in those business commercials.
Personally, i would stick with android. you have so much flexibility with it. and if you do want to get the framework of the ipad on your tablet, you could always flash miui also, you can download apps without using installous. you can view your storage files and folders with the android, but you can't do so so easily with the ipad.
As someone forced by work to use an ipad3 I have to say it is crap.
My sensation browses the web faster, android apps are cheaper or totally free, the iPad is buggy as hell.
Apps crash on it a lot, despite being on the same network as my phone, even with a stronger signal the 3G speed is much slower.
XDA takes longer to load fully, even in chrome on the iPad, and if you try to type a reply before it has fully loaded expect to find yourself unable to type at all do you have to reload the page.
Scrolling any pages with images is laggy as hell, really jerky if you flick the page up or down.
Predictive text is a joke, you type a word and one letter from completion it makes a suggestion, and god help you if you don't want the word it suggests!
I'm fricken fed up having to change keyboard mode for punctuation or numbers too!
Oh nearly forgot, a couple of weekends ago it started needing hard reboots if I wanted to spend more than 10 minutes online with 3G.
My razors all I need I just "dock" it and I've got a working linix computer. But I too am waiting but I want to see the windows 8 also first. I own apple stock but I'd never buy an Apple phone. I have thousands of songs hundreds of cartoons dozens of movies and all for free . and I'm also 99 percent add free
XT912 - .215 radio - SimplexROM 1.2 - AIDE - Tether - Wigdetsoid - Linux Installer w/ Ubuntu 10.10 - Otter Box - Safestrap - Chrome - Tweaked Camera
Android tablets are closer to replacing laptops than Apple tablets. iOS is just too restrictive to be productive on. You can't even download files off the internet on the iPad.
That being said, the Surface Pro will actually be a laptop replacement, as you can run all your favorite laptop software on it, and it runs a full fledged OS.
xaccers said:
As someone forced by work to use an ipad3 I have to say it is crap.
My sensation browses the web faster, android apps are cheaper or totally free, the iPad is buggy as hell.
Apps crash on it a lot, despite being on the same network as my phone, even with a stronger signal the 3G speed is much slower.
XDA takes longer to load fully, even in chrome on the iPad, and if you try to type a reply before it has fully loaded expect to find yourself unable to type at all do you have to reload the page.
Scrolling any pages with images is laggy as hell, really jerky if you flick the page up or down.
Predictive text is a joke, you type a word and one letter from completion it makes a suggestion, and god help you if you don't want the word it suggests!
I'm fricken fed up having to change keyboard mode for punctuation or numbers too!
Oh nearly forgot, a couple of weekends ago it started needing hard reboots if I wanted to spend more than 10 minutes online with 3G.
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Click to collapse
Serius,crash???my gilfriend have the nexus and the galaxy 2,and my ipad 3 is 300% better,than nexus,100% more stable,more beautiful,and responsive etc!!!!ipad =the best ecosystem in the world(in tablet)
Pd:just walk to bestbuy and touch the nexus and touch the ipad the diference is too long!!!

Shield K1 Rant (& Question): Where's the successor?

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.

New Fire HD8 or HD 8 plus

Who will be upgrading to the new fire HD8?
And the HD 8 plus will be fantastic if we install google! 3gb RAM will be a game changer!
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbre...e-hd-8-plus-kids-edition-usb-c-wireless-specs
machina77 said:
Who will be upgrading to the new fire HD8?
And the HD 8 plus will be fantastic if we install google! 3gb RAM will be a game changer!
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbre...e-hd-8-plus-kids-edition-usb-c-wireless-specs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is good, but likely expect to be stuck on fireOS without root or lineage. The fire 10HD (2019) has the same processor and it was limited root exploit that was blocked as soon as it came out. Exploits are harder to find, i guess i would hope that it can install play services, block updates, and change launcher. If amazon hasn't blocked the exploits in the newer fireOS. Maybe someone will pick one up after a while or amazon sales and look into exploits, but i wouldn't count on it. Seems development is dying...
Michajin said:
It is good, but likely expect to be stuck on fireOS without root or lineage. The fire 10HD (2019) has the same processor and it was limited root exploit that was blocked as soon as it came out. Exploits are harder to find, i guess i would hope that it can install play services, block updates, and change launcher. If amazon hasn't blocked the exploits in the newer fireOS. Maybe someone will pick one up after a while or amazon sales and look into exploits, but i wouldn't count on it. Seems development is dying...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
According to the Amazon developer website - https://developer.amazon.com/docs/fire-tablets/ft-device-specifications-firehd-models.html the new HD 8 (2020) has as Mediatek MT8168 versus the Mediatek MT8183 with the HD 10 (2019).
I would be amazed if mtk-su is not blocked out of the box. It is also possible that they have crippled bootrom mode like they have on late examples of the HD 8 (2018).
Anyone who does get the new tablet, I would recommend not letting it update at least until it has been thoroughly checked out. I let my HD 10 (2019) update to OS 7.3.1.1 only to find out a couple of weeks later that the OS version it shipped with was vulnerable to an updated version of mtk-su.
MontysEvilTwin said:
According to the Amazon developer website - https://developer.amazon.com/docs/fire-tablets/ft-device-specifications-firehd-models.html the new HD 8 (2020) has as Mediatek MT8168 versus the Mediatek MT8183 with the HD 10 (2019).
I would be amazed if mtk-su is not blocked out of the box. It is also possible that they have crippled bootrom mode like they have on late examples of the HD 8 (2018).
Anyone who does get the new tablet, I would recommend not letting it update at least until it has been thoroughly checked out. I let my HD 10 (2019) update to OS 7.3.1.1 only to find out a couple of weeks later that the OS version it shipped with was vulnerable to an updated version of mtk-su.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah i misread, 4 cores (hd8) vs 8 cores (hd10). I would prefer the 8 cores over the ram... You only need ram if you are multi-tasking or gaming (from my experience). But either way, looks like they are trying to kill their echo show line with a dock and wireless charging.... I would suspect the same android 9 version that the hd10 (2019) has, based off what amazon usually does....
https://www.amazon.com/All-new-tablet-display-portable-entertainment/dp/B0839NDRB2
Amazon launches a new Fire HD 8 and HD 8+ (10th generation, 2020) in this quarantine.
Reviews:
Pros (Excellent things)
-> MediaTek MT8168 (64-bit quad-core) faster processor.
-> USB-C charging (this is not a Thunderbolt).
-> Wireless charging (only on plus model).
-> MicroSD up to 1 TB.
-> 2 MP rear/front facing camera.
-> 1280x800 HD IPS display.
-> 2GB of RAM for standard model, 3GB for plus model.
Cons (Terrible things)
-> No Google services pre-installed.
-> Amazon OTA update is critical, vulnerable, and no security updates.
-> Basic root method has been limited and patched by Amazon.
-> Bootloader exploit and vulnerability are difficult.
-> Silk browser is useless and dangerous (not secure, scamming, malvertising, phishing, hijacking, and stealing personal information).
-> 32-bit OS. That can't install some 64-bit APKs.
-> No Wi-Fi display (Miracast).
-> Adware on the lock screen that can't see your notifications.
-> No low audio latency supported. That audio latency is horrible when using digital audio workstation like FL Studio Mobile.
-> Fire launcher is useless (no shortcut, no app widget, no personalization, and a lot of weird user interface).
-> No camera autofocus.
-> Single camera lens.
-> Camera is terrible (focusing is bad, low quality, viewing isn't wider, and a few noises).
-> No USB-C power delivery.
-> No ExFat file system supported.
Updated in:
Aug 24, 2020, 1:33 PM
the new MT8168 is produced in 12nm.
while the old MT8163 from HD8 (2018) is produced in 28nm.
This should bring better effecency
Will the SD card support ExFat this time? Or is Amazon still refusing to pay Microsoft for the license to use it?
joeldf said:
Will the SD card support ExFat this time? Or is Amazon still refusing to pay Microsoft for the license to use it?
Click to expand...
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How would anyone know? Amazon doesn't say and device won't be released until early June. Left my crystal ball at the office.
I've been waiting for this info for nearly a year. I bought the 2017 7 (first Fire tab) Sept. 2018. It's slow and REALLY slow with Google services. But, for $30+tx, it makes a great video bell for my ring doorbell. I bought the 2019 10 end of Nov. For $70+tx, it's a fantastic device. (FWIW, my favorite tablet was the Nexus 9--when it worked, which was about half of the time.) I'd been back and forth with the idea of getting the 2018 8. After it went on sale the end of April, along with 20% off for Discover/AmEx, I figured that no matter what, it was worth using my low value reward points just to buy the damn thing. Well, it arrived, and I ran it through Fire Tool Box (thx Datastream33) which included my Nova Prime launcher. It surely did seem slow. Factory reset and it was faster (no surprise there), but I couldn't live without Chrome and gmail so, back to Google. This time I didn't set up Nova. ATM, the speed is in-between stock and full google with Nova. The tablet is a good size for grab-and-go. But, it's no 2019 10. I can still return this one, but I'm gong to keep it. However, I will definitely be looking at the new 8's--and deals to buy one. My 10 works perfectly with google and nova so I'm hoping the same for 2020 8.
ritchea said:
I've been waiting for this info for nearly a year. I bought the 2017 7 (first Fire tab) Sept. 2018. It's slow and REALLY slow with Google services. But, for $30+tx, it makes a great video bell for my ring doorbell. I bought the 2019 10 end of Nov. For $70+tx, it's a fantastic device. (FWIW, my favorite tablet was the Nexus 9--when it worked, which was about half of the time.) I'd been back and forth with the idea of getting the 2018 8. After it went on sale the end of April, along with 20% off for Discover/AmEx, I figured that no matter what, it was worth using my low value reward points just to buy the damn thing. Well, it arrived, and I ran it through Fire Tool Box (thx Datastream33) which included my Nova Prime launcher. It surely did seem slow. Factory reset and it was faster (no surprise there), but I couldn't live without Chrome and gmail so, back to Google. This time I didn't set up Nova. ATM, the speed is in-between stock and full google with Nova. The tablet is a good size for grab-and-go. But, it's no 2019 10. I can still return this one, but I'm gong to keep it. However, I will definitely be looking at the new 8's--and deals to buy one. My 10 works perfectly with google and nova so I'm hoping the same for 2020 8.
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Hi i have the 2019 10 but its stock and has never been on the internet so just load eBooks and mags so far what would you recommend to do on this device love the USB C glad that was on it don`t know why they never made a stand for this one but will for the new 8" 2020
i also have the 2018 8 so far i have the case open and its in its box not done a thing to it was going to short out the device but chinked out
last but not least a brand new 2019 7 not open not used got it as a gift for my mum who told me where to ***** it as my mum has never been on the internet and as far as she sees it i spend to much time in space as it is lol
what would you recommend to make these items the best they can be Thank you so much for any advice and hope you are all well in this strange times
TY
DB126 said:
How would anyone know? Amazon doesn't say and device won't be released until early June. Left my crystal ball at the office.
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I was only curious, putting the question out there. We'll know soon enough.
joeldf said:
I was only curious, putting the question out there. We'll know soon enough.
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Highly unlikely, why would amazon do it? They sell these to promote amazon, the prices are low to do this. I don't see why they would have any incentive to change. They barely support newer android and only make changes that benefit them. The only reason they upgrade the newer Android is because the apps they promote are obsolete in newer android systems. My opinion...
Michajin said:
Highly unlikely, why would amazon do it? They sell these to promote amazon, the prices are low to do this. I don't see why they would have any incentive to change. They barely support newer android and only make changes that benefit them. The only reason they upgrade the newer Android is because the apps they promote are obsolete in newer android systems. My opinion...
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Spot on, mate.
sc00terc;82588587...what would you recommend to make these items the best they can be Thank you so much for any advice and hope you are all well in this strange times
TY[/QUOTE said:
My 10 is basically access to info on the web and my email accounts, but I also have Hangouts and Zoom on them, just in case.. The camera works pretty well on the 10 for Zoom, but Android only allows 4 panes on a page. I use my Pixel 3a for that. I use Chrome and like the sync feature. I used to use tablets for reading but found it too hard on my eyes so we all have Kindle paper whites. I've rooted almost every piece of android I've ever owned beginning with the Pandigital novel about a million (ok, maybe 10) years ago. However, I don't care about that for the fire tablets since I can access google quite easily (even easier since the Fire Tool Box was created). I jailbroke one or two Apple devices but still didn't care for them. These are toys for me although I don't play games on them. A lot of people use their phones for everything, but I don't want a very large phone so the screen size isn't great for me to read web pages. However, tablets travel easily. If I'm not driving, I will set up wifi hotspot on my phone so that I have access to a larger screen. It's much easier to take the 8" tablet with me than the 10" for a short trip.
Your tablets seem to be doing very little; however, that's great if that's what you want. Sorry you messed up with your mum. I'm a mom of two middle-aged guys, and I'm thrilled to get anything from them! I do get that some people just aren't into technology. You could sell the 7, or even give it to someone who might like it. If you're not doing anything with the 8", maybe it wouldn't matter if you bungled the hardware hack. It seems you wanted to try it out. That can be nerve-racking. "Cowards die a thousand deaths ...." That's what I always think about when I'm trying to shore up to tackle something new and daring--AND costs money!
I'm sure you'll get some great suggestions from others (without having to read a novella).
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DB126 said:
Spot on, mate.
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i will probably get one though either way, just to see. Amazon has never been that thorough closing root access.... So my curiosity will likely make me get one! LOL
machina77 said:
Who will be upgrading to the new fire HD8?
And the HD 8 plus will be fantastic if we install google! 3gb RAM will be a game changer.
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Would love to pick up the 8+ charging dock bundle, BUT only if it can be rooted and flashed with a vanilla Android ROM, which is why I'm poking around the forum today. Really just want to use it as a music streamer (files & apps) by attaching an AudioQuest Cobalt, then out to an Amp. The up to 1TB of data could come in handy.
MarkMcCoskey said:
Would love to pick up the 8+ charging dock bundle, BUT only if it can be rooted and flashed with a vanilla Android ROM, which is why I'm poking around the forum today. Really just want to use it as a music streamer (files & apps) by attaching an AudioQuest Cobalt, then out to an Amp. The up to 1TB of data could come in handy.
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Highly unlikely. Rooting, already a tough prospect on many Amazon devices, will be a lot tougher going forward with newer code bases. Writing has been on the wall for many months (years).

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