Suggestions for tablet acquisition - General Topics

Hi everyone. I have bought several tablets on these last five years. Windows tablets, android tablets (i don't like apple devices, to me they are a very expensive mini atari), but all them have ended for reciclying, or at least as battery donators. I must admit two things: First, I like to modify my devices, to fiddle around my devices, if I find something that I don't like on it. And second, and maybe the most important, I always try to buy the cheaper, or better the device with the better price/quality ratio that I can aford.
I live in south america, and as you know, here money is not so fluent, so easy to get, as in Europe or North america... you know... so please don't judge me.
So, relative to those two conditions, I want to ask you ¿Which tablet do you recommend me for buying? I mean, as we say in Colombia, a device: good, cute and cheap.
I know i'm being cheeky, but also I want a cheap durable tablet. I owned a lenovo yoga 2 windows tablet that I loved, i had not to make any modification on it, but its own desing was its doom, because it had a turnable tab on its bottom that acted as tablet stand. That tab was designed also, to harbor inside of it, the battery, and happened that everytime it turned, internally that tab, teared slowly the battery's ribbon cable. As result any day, it just didn't want to turn on any more. With my last tablet, I needed to root it, and possibly by an excess of plugging and unplugging by trying to root it, its usb port got broken.
¡Anyway!... The fact is I'm conscious that a cheap tablet (and repeat; I mean cheap at southamerica level) , means generally low quality components; but anyway i want to ask you if you have had any tablet with all those charateristics (durable, easy to custom, cheap and a big screen), and that very possibly had make you happy because of that. ¿Or sadly the quest for the "perfect" tablet is a trial-error process?(with the respective big loss of money)
Thanks for your attention and thanks in advanced for any answer.

Related

question about buying a tablet

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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Click to collapse
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.

[Q] Tablet off ebay...good or bad? Opinions?

I've been looking buying a tablet for a few months and ive done some research on the matter and what some fair specs on devices are, and ive read good and bad reviews about ebay tablets, and before i buy this one, in the link bellow, I'd like to know what people think about it.
it has a dual camera, capacitive screen, (which means its a glass screen, right?) And it doesnt look like a cheap plastic one-which i originally thought about purchasing for only 200$. However after research, most of the 200$ tablets have plastic screens and.... Ive had plastic touch screen phones, and compared to my htc evo shift, the evo's glass screen is much better. that's my opinion... so this is the product ive been looking at currently.
.... it wont let me post the direct link... so, go to ebay, and this is the item listing "New 9.7" Android 2.3 4GB Cortex-A8 WIFI HDMI M12 Tablet"
sorry for the inconvenience.
I've looked into buying from sites where you get a better price, but have to 'contact the supplier' and ask them questions.... and then after talking to them for 2+ weeks, they say........
"I am not sure if your US customs will hold the package 100%.
But this is such a risk. If US customs pay attention to your package, open the box, then they will maybe.
I tell you this in advance, then it is up to you to choose the risk. If the customs hold the package and you won't get, we could not help any and won't refund you.
You can think about it, if you want to try, then I will check those information you want and send u."
WONDERFUL! so that place is now not an option.
but ebay has some sort of guarantees on their products that they arrive or you get a refund, and that they are as the Lister described. which makes me feel more comfortable in that sense.
any thoughts? Thanks!
Hi, why do you want this particular tablet?
do you have specific requirements for your tablet such as screen size, resolution, cpu speed etc. other than capacitive screen...
Also, do you have price range or are you looking for as chap as possible?
Thanks
RDS
I like the capacitive screen, and for me larger is better, 9in and up.
im not good at the rooting process and changing the software and stuff like that.
but close to 1ghz speeds are good with me, and having usb ports are always a plus, also access to micro sd cards, which i think just about all tablets have that,
I like android 2.3.... when i upgraded my phone from 2.2 to 2.3 it became a lot smoother, less freezes, better battery,
the only thing i dont like so much about that tablet is that the battery is 4500mah, but they claim 6-8 hours of use.
Thanks!
The M12 is a verty good tablet, the are some threads in some forums about it, you might look pandawill or htcmania, there are firmwares and opinions
I can't say specifically for your case since that wouldn't be possible...but I can tell you that I have personally purchased an android based smart phone for a 'work phone' from the far east and did not have any customs problems.
The parcel said 'Gift' as the details and it just got delivered to me. It was send standard mail though an took like a month.

Your thoughts on Asus Padfone

I feel this is more of a general "lets get your opinion/feel" but ive experienced in the past, any topic that has any question in it, gets moved to this section.. So im posting it here.
I'd like to get people opinions (and experiences if any) on the Asus Padfone. I've been eyeing the HTC Amaze, but there have been a few issues reported with it, and with new tech being released this year, im also considering other devices. The Padfone caught my eye due to its apparent versatility. (Especially since the HTC One series has been a massive letdown with the non-existent mSD card slot)
Though there do seem to be some things lacking with this device, such as the camera (apparently, the HTC one has an independent processor which speeds it up) for example.
Also the fact that its 3g and not 4g/LTE seems to be a step back (tho this isnt an concern for me, but could be later).
Anyway.. Thoughts? Concerns?
Not worth buying
I'm considering getting one. I'm from the Netherlands so 3G is just fine for me!
Pricing is rumoured around €699 euro here, pretty steep though... That's without the dock (which will set you back another €150 I bet)
I love the idea of having everything in one place (on your phone) and basically click it into the tablet for typing during class or watching/reading something.
Jam it into the dock for longer writing sessions... I can see this being a very useful combination for me personally. I'm not sure the average user will find this a useful gadget though.
Downside is that you really have to use the phone all the time and I'm not sure how well everything works softwarewise when you load the phone into the dock, screensize wise etc, etc.
Its just that I got a Gnex that I love so dearly
PokeiShoW said:
Not worth buying
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Click to collapse
Care to elaborate?
newbie thoughts on the padfone
Last July 2011, I posted this thread on another forum and look at what happened in the interim - the Padfone!
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"Looking for serious multi-purpose (non-existent yet) tablet
I am a newbie. I have been communicating with a variety of tech publications incl Walt Mossberg, WSJ. But no serious response. I do not own a tablet right now but want to propose features that can be incorporated to the current crop. You folks can chime in (with respect) if you think my ideas are plausible.
Full disclosure. Currently, I am not a fan of the crop of tablets in the market today. What is out there (regardless of brand) are just pure "gadgets" for me. I do not do social networking nor games. I realize that I am in the minority in the high-tech populace.
I will consider a tablet with the configuration below to trim my techie equipment inventory. I believe this would be a truly PORTABLE, POWERFUL, SINGLE COMBINATION alternative to having (1) a communication/convenience/entertainment" device (tablet) AND (2) a PC for serious professional computing work, should I need to do some.
Samsung Galaxy-like form factor (or maybe even slightly larger or heavier)
Full Cell phone call capable (CDMA/GSM) - 3 or 4G thru BT (either on ear device or car's BT wireless communicator) - not just Google Talk or Skype
Web-access wireless card (a/b/g/n)
BT enabled to pair with my car's BT audio system wireless connection to play music stored in the tablet and other BT capable devices (tech already available)
Semi-full size BT keyboard/case (tech already available)
Available USB2 or 3 port/s
Available docking device to connect to an external larger LCD monitor, full-size keyboard, printer, optical drive, external HD, etc (?) to really replace my office/home notebook
Enough processor power (Intel/AMD dual core or higher), storage to support a full PC OS (Windows 7/8 or Mac OS), Internet Browser (IE9, FF5, Chrome, Safari, etc) and APPLICATION PROGRAMS AND DATA!
Sufficient battery life (replaceable) with AC/DC charging/connectivity capability
???????
Do you think this config for a tablet system has market and production potential? Or better yet, is there one already out there? I know that the technology to accomplish all of these exist already. It just takes somebody to put it all together.
Your professional insights are greatly appreciated."
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Since the Pf is not in our shores yet and I have been sick and tired of the all the unboxing, first videos from Barcelona, Taiwan specs and availability, I just implore ASUS to get their act together and stop the teasing and give us the US model! Regardless how a bunch of folks have trashed it, I on the other hand WANT ONE NOW. I realize that this desire is sight unseen, performance and quality unknown and not all the specs I listed above are in the model available everywhere else, I believe the concept of 3 in 1 is a brilliant one. I may not be as techie as you folks but for my use and from prelim videos and specs, what ASUS has done is phenomenal.
I would greatly appreciate your more techie input as well as marketing intel (US availaibility, specs, price, carrier, etc.). BTW, I still refuse to buy and do not want any of the tablets available today. Thanks.
The mechanism to insert the phone into the tablet looks like its the first thing to break rendering the whole concept useless.
But i have not hold it in my hand, anyone have some info on the build quality?
Dark3n said:
The mechanism to insert the phone into the tablet looks like its the first thing to break rendering the whole concept useless.
But i have not hold it in my hand, anyone have some info on the build quality?
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Click to collapse
It's possible, it depends if the "door" needs to be closed before it will output to the tabdock. Plus, im sure alot said that about flip phones and sliding phone. My Touch Pro 2 is still going pretty strong, and it has a sliding keyboard.
Something id like it know is with the Keyboard dock, is it 'closeable'. As in, can you dock the tablet to it, then "close it" like a laptop so you can transport it as one piece?
first try... and probably last
very difficult positioning for Asus. They're trying desperately to innovate more that the competition to get a strong foot in that market.
However, this solution might not be fully interesting for a lot of people... If its a failure, they'll have lost a great deal of money that could have been used to make up for the difference with the latest ipad...
If this will be a failure , atleast the price will drop fast ( something like Evo 3d -50% )
addiz said:
If this will be a failure , atleast the price will drop fast ( something like Evo 3d -50% )
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Why do you think it will be a failure?
it's something new and different let's see how people will act after buying it
Has a lot of potential...
Has a LOT of potential if marketed correctly.
I have a original ASUS Transformer TF101 with keyboard dock for eight months now and I can say its an amazing machine. The performance is just right, the battery lasts forever, almost stock ICS, lots of updates.
I have the only combination of devices that can compete with the full Padfone setup: a modern smartphone (Samsung Galaxy Note) and the mentioned Transformer, with full tethering support. If the Padfone system can have a significant price advantage, the consistency it provides (the Note have Android 2.3.6) can make it a winner.
Feels way to expensive.
$1 gets you a reply
yes the hinge closes like a laptop
problem: the hinge only opens around 90 degrees so you won't get a great viewing angle unless you are at a similar level.
when the latch of the tablet station opens to release the phone, it stops the phone being bent outwards, so you have to pull up and thus, not breaking the connector.
not having 4g is a big downer for me. I was going to get this and might still but seriously, uk is getting 4g this year so I doubt I'd want this when it gets released.
The price of phone + 10" screen is Euro 699.
I think it will not be a success.
Why? (iPhone 4S + New iPad) is only Euro 199 more than the phone and a dummy screen.
Moreover, if you're going to carry around a dummy screen, why not carry a REAL tablet??
tytung2020 said:
The price of phone + 10" screen is Euro 699.
I think it will not be a success.
Why? (iPhone 4S + New iPad) is only Euro 199 more than the phone and a dummy screen.
Moreover, if you're going to carry around a dummy screen, why not carry a REAL tablet??
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Click to collapse
beeecause with a iphone and ipad, your data is in 2 places? So if you edit something on your ipad, you have to take steps to also update it on your iphone.. Plus, itunes.. thats always a disadvantage.
I see the appeal, and 200 bucks More isnt small.
Lyian said:
beeecause with a iphone and ipad, your data is in 2 places? So if you edit something on your ipad, you have to take steps to also update it on your iphone.. Plus, itunes.. thats always a disadvantage.
I see the appeal, and 200 bucks More isnt small.
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Click to collapse
I thought it's no need to take any steps? As long as your iPad is online at home, whatever you do on iPhone outside is automatically synced, as shown in the iCloud launching videos.
199 euro is small, when you compare a screen+ battery, with a fully functioned retina display iPad.
sounds good
tytung2020 said:
I thought it's no need to take any steps? As long as your iPad is online at home, whatever you do on iPhone outside is automatically synced, as shown in the iCloud launching videos.
199 euro is small, when you compare a screen+ battery, with a fully functioned retina display iPad.
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Click to collapse
Well, i wont get apple products. If i were to get two devices, both would be android. Im sure it would be similar, but i don't like messing with clouds either, that's just a gimik to eat up your limited "unlimited" data package. Especially when your talking about my case of 400+mb PDF files.
I'm not completely sold on it, but it seems like a good idea, plus ive not yet seen official pricing on it.
Not that benchmarks mean much.. but...
ASUS PadFone gets benchmarked: a mere teaser of what's to come

Feature phone or Small smart phone to go with a tablet?

As smartphones become comically big I find myself wanting to carry one less and less. In the 3 years or so from the HTC HD2 being launched and being a massive phone (if I recall correctly HTC had joke dimensions of "Big" on the box) to being tiny compared to today's flagship phones).In any situation where I am willing to carry something that big with me I have my tablet. In fact I generally seem to have my tablet on me, which i can also use as a phone as such I'd rather not carry a second device with me most of the time.
The only caveat is that there are times when carrying a tablet is impractical but I need to have a phone on me and I'd like to be able to check my email, google maps,maybe even evernote(so god damn useful!) and snap a decent photo. The Sony K800 was fantastic for this in it's day but there doesn't seem to be a modern successor. Modern technology should have a 50 gram wafer thin credit card version of this in our hands or a ultra compact quality point and shoot camera that also has smart phone capabilities. The industry however has moved away from from dumb and feature phones it seems and it's a massive smartphone or a cheap dumbphone designed for LDC markets.
Options I can see:
1) Tablet + old ultra light dumb phone. When you're without the tablet you're back to the stone ages
2) Tablet + feature phone e.g Nokia X3-02 but no tethering so I'd have to have a seperate line for the tab and no android goodness.
3) Tablet + smartphone no need for a 2ndline for the tablet as you can tether when there's no wifi. The iphone 5 weighs in at 112g it should be possible to have a 70g 3inch smartphone? Is there something I'm missing. I'm hoping there's a one designed for emerging markets that I've missed. Is there a small light android smartphone out there somewhere?
I'm guessing a lot of people on here are now carrying around a 7-8 inch tablet that just need a backup phone. What are you guys using?

35 tablets running at the same time

I own a local store which has about 35 stands for each product, and me and my team want to run slideshows (picture+video) in each one.
My guess is that I should use tablets.
Why tablets?
a) Slideshows needs a software to run them. Displays are just displays.
b) KODI (XBMC) app is a good option, as each Kodi would also run a Samba server and I could send the media I need to play to each one from one computer.
c) I looked for digital photo frames, but they don't support any kind of networking, and the few ones I've found are as expensive as tablets.
My questions are,
1) Is it fine if they are connected to AC power all day 24/7? Our local is opened 24hs. Should I take off their batteries? I don't know if tablets are prepared for that purpose.
2) Is there a difference between generic tablets and Samsung Galaxy Tabs 3? In fact, I really don't need high-end tablets, I just need to run the slideshows. But my only fear is the device-life.
supernova18 said:
I own a local store which has about 35 stands for each product, and me and my team want to run slideshows (picture+video) in each one.
My guess is that I should use tablets.
Why tablets?
a) Slideshows needs a software to run them. Displays are just displays.
b) KODI (XBMC) app is a good option, as each Kodi would also run a Samba server and I could send the media I need to play to each one from one computer.
c) I looked for digital photo frames, but they don't support any kind of networking, and the few ones I've found are as expensive as tablets.
My questions are,
1) Is it fine if they are connected to AC power all day 24/7? Our local is opened 24hs. Should I take off their batteries? I don't know if tablets are prepared for that purpose.
2) Is there a difference between generic tablets and Samsung Galaxy Tabs 3? In fact, I really don't need high-end tablets, I just need to run the slideshows. But my only fear is the device-life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. I remember reading an article about keeping smartphones plugged in for long periods of time after they reach 100%. From what I can recall, it stated the batteries inside phones and tablets, even most laptops, are designed in a way where once they reach 100% capacity, the device will run directly off the electricity of the charger, rather than the battery's charge. This prolongs the battery's life and, quality, and you should have no problem leaving then plugged in for long periods of time.
2. You would certainly be fine with the Galaxy Tab 3, really any tablet model would do the job. It really depends on how much you're willing to spend for the quality of the display. A larger tablet provides a larger screen (obviously), just making is more appealing to a customer! But sure a larger screen will cost you more. More expensive tablets typically have higher resolutions. PPI (pixels per inch) come into effect. You'll notice a more visually appealing experience if you buy into tablets high a higher resolution, or more PPI.
Basically, any tablet will.. Do the job. You will be able to run slideshows just fine with literally any tablet, you do not need to worry about that. It's just up to you to decide how much money you're willing to spend for how high quality you want the display. The Tab 3 will work just fine, but it's display is, in my experience, mediocre. But then again, that's my opinion for the tablet's entertainment side, if I needed to use it for a simple slideshow, it would do the job just fine.
I'm unsure what your budget is, but here are some examples (As a new user, XDA won't let me post direct links, you will have to google/amazon them manually)
))- The Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 has a phenomenal screen at 8.4 inches it's probably the perfect size. 359 PPI - $220 on amazon.
There are tons of different android tablets, and many different Samsung variations, listing the ones I would consider competitive for your needs, I would be listing 10 Samsung tablets alone. When researching the perfect tablet, make sure you consider Price, Screen Size, and PPI. For simple slideshows, the RAM, Processor, and other internals really won't make a difference.
Wow, really thanks for your feedback.
I read something about that battery intelligence when connected to AC power yeah, but I was wondering how long could tablets live turned on permanently.
It's not the same thing if I should change tablets every 2 months or every year.
supernova18 said:
Wow, really thanks for your feedback.
I read something about that battery intelligence when connected to AC power yeah, but I was wondering how long could tablets live turned on permanently.
It's not the same thing if I should change tablets every 2 months or every year.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any well know brand will last you well over 2 months. Plugged in endlessly may sound risky, but in my opinion, they should last years, even if plugged in all day every day.
By well known brand, I mean something like a Samsung, Motorola, etc, because you can find some seriously cheap android tablets for extremely cheap prices, but they don't even have a name brand. The boxes just say "Android Tablet". Stay away from these. Go with a Samsung, Asus, Motorola, Sony, etc.
Another tip, a very important tip, use the standard USB cable and USB Brick Wall Adapter that come bundled with your tablets. If a cable becomes worn or breaks, I highly recommend purchasing one directly from the original manufacturer.
You certainly will not have to replace them every couple months. Depends on the tablet, but any name brand should last you at least a year in my opinion, as long as you stick with the original charging cables and wall adapters, and take good care of them. (If the tablets are prone to direct sunlight all day long, this will overtime have an impact on the device, most likely screen discoloring. As long as they're inside at average room temperature, you should be good with the tablets for a very very long time.
Sure I'm some random person giving you advice, and it's ultimately up to you to believe what I say. My posts have been a mix of facts and opinions, so do take that into consideration. I'd like to include I've been an android device owner for about 4 years, and I've owned about 11 different android phones, and 7 different android tablets. I root them and install custom ROMs, I use android devices every single day, and I would consider myself more knowledgeable with android devices than the average android user.

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