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[Q] Nook Color potential and restrictions vs Coby MID7015 & other budget tablets?

Looking forward- can anyone explain the potential of the Nook over other Android tablets?
Any thoughts on the Coby Kryos MID7015 compared to the Nook Color?
On paper, it looks like the advantages of the the Nook are:
- much better screen
- more RAM
- faster processor (?)
- longer battery life
But- Is that worth spending $100 more for the Nook?
Is one more sturdy than the the other?
Does one have better Wifi?
Are there other capabilities that are theoretically possible, but not yet available to the android noob (me)?
Thanks so much for any input!

breebauer said:
Looking forward- can anyone explain the potential of the Nook over other Android tablets?
Any thoughts on the Coby Kryos MID7015 compared to the Nook Color?
On paper, it looks like the advantages of the the Nook are:
- much better screen
- more RAM
- faster processor (?)
- longer battery life
But- Is that worth spending $100 more for the Nook?
Is one more sturdy than the the other?
Does one have better Wifi?
Are there other capabilities that are theoretically possible, but not yet available to the android noob (me)?
Thanks so much for any input!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
maybe its just me... but anyone else getting sick of the nook VS X tablet?
as far as this question, I had a lower tier tablet which I stacked up against my nook. While im not the greatest frame of reference as I was content with just using the internet... The screens were generally less responsive, the apps worked so so... In some cases like the Panimage I had even on lan my nook loaded a page faster (and it was a full page and the pan was loading the same site in mobile mode... it just happens to load my blog that way though)
Take my opinion for what its worth... but for the price the nook cant currently be beat (if rooted), I personally prefer it to a straight up tablet as the E-Reader functions are far beyond any singular app.

For the price the NC has a lot going for it now that it has the market enabled, and almost all of the tablet qualifying apps working. The fact that the screen is sharper than an Ipad and the price/performance ratio vs the galaxy tab is fairly close means its a good value... Go pick one up and compare yourself.. I suspect that any similar price tablets won't give you a better screen as costs are spread out to other tablet features (hdmi out, cameras, gps)...

I have the original. ?..m001.....it's now my 9 year old's. I can't even begin to describe just how much more the the nook does....The nook color is worth 350 imho.....
Go to the store, have them take rhe device oitside diring the day....you'll be sold....very few color devices, ar any price, can be viewed outside. ?...

I think in this case what you are really paying for is build quality, which is kind of difficult to quantify. The Nook Color was designed to compete straddling the niches of the Kindle and the iPad, and accordingly was built very well. A budget tablet companies are competing for a different space in the market and though they may boast a lot of features (HDMI, Bluetooth, cameras) if you don't need these features then paying the same amount for a NC means it goes to build, design, and overall finish.
Edit: I forgot that there may be latent Bluetooth on the wifi chip. We'll just have to see if someone can coax it out.

having owned lots of cheap Chinese imported Android tablets, the Nook is leaps and bounds above them all.
1) Build Quality: It's like comparing a Toyota to a base model Daewoo. I had so many build quality issues with the import tablets it was crazy! Things like the memory card slot spring would break after a week.
2) Screen: Most import tablets are resistive and you're lucky to have multi touch. Trust me, resistive screens suck for finger inputs.
3) Speed: Ok, so my phone is faster than the NC, but the NC is faster than any of those tablets.
You pay for what you get. I had a XPad 701 and a G10+ which was $200 and near the "best" of what you could get at the time. Both pale in comparison to the NC.

Well MID or budget means probably Chinese so not only is it an "eh ok" touch resistive screen, awkward enough for sliding, the manufacturer is out of state so a problem is a month+ waiting for shipping.
B&N has the 1yr warranty and a big reputable place so just knowing i can go get another without waiting is nice.
Let alone the NCs specs beating it, can be rooted, an potential for roms later down the road. B&N has said January theres the update to 2.2 an market (tho thats still a wait an see thing) so thats only a usb2.0 an hdvia output to look forward to.
IMO NC FTW build quality, specs, potential.

Malk3rs said:
Edit: I forgot that there may be latent Bluetooth on the wifi chip. We'll just have to see if someone can coax it out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't know about that- Bluetooth would be a nice bonus!
HotShotAzn said:
1) Build Quality: It's like comparing a Toyota to a base model Daewoo. I had so many build quality issues with the import tablets it was crazy! Things like the memory card slot spring would break after a week.
2) Screen: Most import tablets are resistive and you're lucky to have multi touch. Trust me, resistive screens suck for finger inputs.
3) Speed: Ok, so my phone is faster than the NC, but the NC is faster than any of those tablets.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
camwinnn said:
Let alone the NCs specs beating it, can be rooted, an potential for roms later down the road. B&N has said January theres the update to 2.2 an market (tho thats still a wait an see thing) so thats only a usb2.0 an hdvia output to look forward to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok- that sounds promising. If B&N is already releasing an update, that makes me feel like this won't be something that will be almost obsolete in 6 months.
I've been Best Buy and other stores 4 times looking at the Nook, the Coby 7015, and the Huawei S7. The screen on the Coby was kind of a turn-off, since I'm used to staring at my iPhone4. The S7 seemed nice, but not necessary, since I have an iPhone.
Build quality is very important to me- I'm looking for something to use while traveling though Indonesia next month.
I just wanted to make sure the Nook won't be one of those things that I bought, because I thought I needed it, but wound up in a drawer after a few months for whatever reason.
Thanks!

In the end, for me at least, it's also about community support. If you look around, you'll see the Nook Color has it.
IMHO it's useless to have a super duper whopper that you're stuck using stock, no dev support, no manufacturer's support, at 2.1 without a market..
-CC

clockcycle said:
In the end, for me at least, it's also about community support. If you look around, you'll see the Nook Color has it.
IMHO it's useless to have a super duper whopper that you're stuck using stock, no dev support, no manufacturer's support, at 2.1 without a market..
-CC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My Xpad was orphaned by the community because the seller stopped selling it after a few weeks. I vowed that I would only buy a tablet that had a huge backing (Samsung Tab or NC were on the top of the list).

To me, the two real competitors out there now (other than iPad) are B&N & Archos. The Archos 70 is about the same price as the NC. It has way better connectivity and is real Android out of the box. It also has the best video drivers out there. I have an Archos 101 and it is very good. I also have an NC. I bought it for the quality of the screen. Basically I bought it as soon as I was convinced I could root it because the base software would be unusable for me. It also works great and it is much better to read with than the Archos. I use ezPDF and Moon Reader on both.
Both Archos and B&N seem to have pretty strong communities. For Archos, this is Gen8, and the folks in that community go way back with Archos. B&N seems to be solidly behind their eBook readers and they have built two very solid products with the NC and Nook Classic, In fact, the NC is now replacing my Nook Classic as my eBook reader.
Beware of companies that will be a flash in the pan. They will be dropped by the early adopter community as soon as the next big thing appears.

The biggest difference to me is the hi-rez IPS capacitive screen. Most of the cheapie tablets have resistive screens and/or cheap TN LCD screens with crummy viewing angles.

I have both a rooted Nook Color and rooted MID7015 running stock OS.
The price difference is < $100 ($250 vs $180 in my case).
The out-of-the-box experience for the (rooted) MID7015 is very poor. It doesn't have multi-touch, a LOT of apps don't work or don't work properly, it maps its extra storage space as /sdcard thus screwing with inserted SD memory mapping, the WiFi is horrible (I found myself having to constantly disable/renable in settings), it runs a 800x480 (I think) resolution, and it's a bit clunky. I have not tested the HDMI. I DID try Cynanogen on it. It improved some things, but a lot of apps still did not work (Angry Birds, Slice It, etc), and WiFi performance was even worse.
By comparison, the rooted Nook has none of these deficiencies, runs at a full 1024x600 res, has multi-touch, apps working correctly, and is a pleasure to use. My only negative experience with the Nook Color so far is that I sometimes see behavior like this which power cycling fixes (and my unit may just be messed up - dunno yet): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiHH6mdH0WU&feature=related
So, in my book, the Nook Color is the clear winner.

Ipad to a Nook

So the others day I made the plunge from an ipad to the Nook Color. So far im pretty impressed, being the huge gadget junkie that I am. With that being said of course I have a few complaints.
1. Android tablets lack polish. Things on the ipad that just worked seem to require solutions on the nook. I do understand that I'm using a hacked device so i take that into consideration but playing decent quality youtube should be a know brainer
2. The speaker is bad. I know this is intended to be an ebook reader but my kindle is louder, no excuse.
On to the stuff I love.
1. 7" is the perfect size for a tablet, apple should take note.
2. The keyboard is amazing and it will allow you to add words to the built in dictionary. Apple clearly dropped the ball on this.
3. The screen is great, nice and crisp. It's been a joy to read on.
4. The potential, I've grown sick of waiting on apple to add simple features. Android is a blessing. I'm looking forward to new roms and froyo in the near future.
Sent from my Nook Color using XDA App

I agree the 7" is perfect size for a tab. Walkin around with a 10" tab looks retarded.

Missing #5 You saved a boatload of money by choosing Geico (NC)

I have a 10 inch iPad and a 4 inch Galaxy S Vibrant phone. And now a 7 inch Nook Color that fills the gap inbetween.
My list of issues with the Nook.
1. Slower.
Browsing the web, market place, and some other apps feels much slower on the NC than the iPad, even slower than my Vibrant. This is rooted with Dolphin HD. It's acceptable, but wish it could be quicker. And I expect Android 2.2 will help alot (I'm using a custom Android 2.2 ROM on my Vibrant).
2. Screen is tacky.
The screen feels rough or tacky. It's not very smooth at all. Makes pinching and scrolling a little more awkward than it should be. Wish it was smoother, I suppose it will get a little smoother over time. But I don't think it'll ever feel as smooth as the iPad or Vibrant did out of the box. I guess this is some coating on the phone to make reading easier? I might have to try out a screen shield to see if they can offer a smoother finger gliding experience.
3. Battery life.
Battery life is very poor compared to the iPad (probably average for an Android device). With the iPad I never even think about the battery, I always have plenty. But with my Android phone and NookColor, battery is a constant worry and I need to keep the charger on hand.
This items are both good and bad at the same time.
1. Heavy/Sturdy.
It's heavier than I expected. I read it's heavier than the Galaxy Tab and Archos 70. However it also has a very solid sturdy feeling.
2. Ugly/Comfortable.
The bevel is ugly, mostly because of that hideous loop at the bottom. Also that loop makes accessing the microSD slot more difficult than it should be. Also not a fan of the rounded raised bevel around the screen. However the rounded edges and the rubber back do make it comfortable to hold.
What I like about the Nook over the iPad.
1. It's Android.
I'm not an Apple fan. I've really tried my best to avoid buying any Apple products because I don't like the walled garden, locked down, controlling nature of Apple products. Having an Android tablet means I have much greater freedom to what I want with the OS and apps. I imagine there will be some nice custom ROMs I'll be able to install on the Nook some day that will improve the speed issues I have now and add a lot more features.
2. Screen looks great.
While I don't like the feel of the screen, I do love how it looks. It's definitely not better than the iPad, however it's one of the best on an Android tablet. I imagine only the Galaxy Tab equals or betters it. Looks good from any angle.
3. Price.
I think the iPad is a very quality piece of hardware with very polished software and certainly worth the $500 I spent. But the Nook Color is probably even more impressive for what you get at half the price.

Having owned an ipad until last week and currently own two android devices (captivate and nookcolor)
Here are my observations
-Book apps are not that far from each other but the children books score a big thumbs up for nookcolor (not really important for me since i don't have any kids)
-Magazine apps on ipad are much better laid out and more fluid than magazines on nookcolor (ie. car and driver). Also it's currently free on ipad whereas nookcolor requires subscription
-In general, better selection of apps for ipad than nook (nook doesn't have apps and lack of scalable andoird apps for big screens really shows). Ipad has been out for a while and hopefully with the numerous tablet sized android devices flooding the market will rectify this issue
Here is one thing that nookcolor really outshines ipad.
multitasking, multitasking, multitasking
When the apps are parked in the task manager, most apps will restart when you try to access them again. I've also experienced issues with resource management on ipad trying to open PDF documents (1~2MBs in size) even when i had less than five app running (or inactively running) in task manager.
Overall i'm enjoying the form factor of nookcolor for everyday usage and hope that 2.2/2.3 release will bring some more performance to the device. Device isn't slow by any mean and nook ui may deceive consumers as being sluggish but rooted and running adw for launcher makes the device fly.

Okay so playing video kind of sucks and the youtube app doesn't play hd. Just a thought
Sent from my nook color using XDA App

As far as the screen goes, it is better than the ipad for viewing. From my understanding there are 3 layers to the screen to give it good viewing angles and better viewing for reading. The resolution is also great, similar to ipad but on a smaller screen and better pixel density. Better than the Galaxy Tab resolution.
I have a matte screen protector on mine that I purchased from ebay and it makes the screen really smooth and not the sticky feel you get from stock screen. Although, I heard that it does smooth out over time.
Multitasking is great on the NC compared to Ipad and probably due to the 512 vs 256 ram on the memory. The ipad is slicker looking but you also pay more. Speed wise, all we need is a custom kernel and I am sure we can get this thing 1 or 1.2ghz. And the custom ROM with optimization will make this a lot more fluid.
I love the portability with 7" screen and it is heavier than Galaxy tab but feels sturdier.

wendellc said:
The resolution is also great, similar to ipad but on a smaller screen and better pixel density. Better than the Galaxy Tab resolution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The NOOK and the Galaxy Tab has the same screen resolution, I have both if them. However the Tab seems to scale its interface making every app slightly larger, making them have less usable space. I prefere the NOOKs unscaled interface.
Sent from my NOOK Color using XDA App

Tacky Screen
For those complaining about the screen being tacky, I noticed that myself initially (compared to my Droid X). However, it now no longer seems tacky, so either my fingers have worn off from playing with it LOL, or it comes with some sort of initial coating that wears off with use.

jaydon34 said:
So the others day I made the plunge from an ipad to the Nook Color. So far im pretty impressed, being the huge gadget junkie that I am. With that being said of course I have a few complaints.
1. Android tablets lack polish. Things on the ipad that just worked seem to require solutions on the nook. I do understand that I'm using a hacked device so i take that into consideration but playing decent quality youtube should be a know brainer
2. The speaker is bad. I know this is intended to be an ebook reader but my kindle is louder, no excuse.
On to the stuff I love.
1. 7" is the perfect size for a tablet, apple should take note.
2. The keyboard is amazing and it will allow you to add words to the built in dictionary. Apple clearly dropped the ball on this.
3. The screen is great, nice and crisp. It's been a joy to read on.
4. The potential, I've grown sick of waiting on apple to add simple features. Android is a blessing. I'm looking forward to new roms and froyo in the near future.
Sent from my Nook Color using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Watch the 7" comment, which I totally agree with, as you'll have 10" mavens swoop in claiming that 10" is better for video(yeah right), and another smaller subset claiming that 10" is better for reading some technical documents. I've never had a problem with video watching on 7" nor with tech doc reading on a 7".
YouTube: best experience that I've had with video playback on Android devices so far has been with the lowly Augen GT78 sporting a Telechips TCC8902 ARM11 CPU which apparently had an AWESOMELY superior hw video codec support to just about ANY other ARM SoC available, although Tegra 2 doesn't seem to be doing so badly, yet could apparently, use some further driver updates to better support it's video playback capabilities.
Beyond that, yep basic Android UI is pretty "rough" for Tablets, and is why I presume that many manufacturers attempt to slap on a custom UI of some sort although they haven't had much luck so far(I'm looking at you TapnCrap) beyond specialized book reader front ends, e.g. Nook Color, Pandigital Novel, and Cruz Reader.
All this said I still haven't gotten around to picking up a NC yet, as I'm still kind of waiting to see what pops up next year, but may break down next week and just buy one as the gTab(10") is a bit much for comfortable portability and use as a reader... plus the NC has a WAY better screen from what I could tell playing around with a demo unit at B&N the other week...

cutterjohn said:
Watch the 7" comment, which I totally agree with, as you'll have 10" mavens swoop in claiming that 10" is better for video(yeah right), and another smaller subset claiming that 10" is better for reading some technical documents. I've never had a problem with video watching on 7" nor with tech doc reading on a 7".
YouTube: best experience that I've had with video playback on Android devices so far has been with the lowly Augen GT78 sporting a Telechips TCC8902 ARM11 CPU which apparently had an AWESOMELY superior hw video codec support to just about ANY other ARM SoC available, although Tegra 2 doesn't seem to be doing so badly, yet could apparently, use some further driver updates to better support it's video playback capabilities.
Beyond that, yep basic Android UI is pretty "rough" for Tablets, and is why I presume that many manufacturers attempt to slap on a custom UI of some sort although they haven't had much luck so far(I'm looking at you TapnCrap) beyond specialized book reader front ends, e.g. Nook Color, Pandigital Novel, and Cruz Reader.
All this said I still haven't gotten around to picking up a NC yet, as I'm still kind of waiting to see what pops up next year, but may break down next week and just buy one as the gTab(10") is a bit much for comfortable portability and use as a reader... plus the NC has a WAY better screen from what I could tell playing around with a demo unit at B&N the other week...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Other thing to note about ipad is the aspect ratio
I'm so used to seeing widescreen ratio on both tv and pc that when i was watching hulu on ipad, it was somewhat akward

I have to agree with many points of this discussion. I went from an ipad to a rooted NC and am very happy.
1. Love the size, Ive always felt the ipad was too big. I sure ipad 2 will be smaller.
2. I connect alot easier to public wifi, especially when there is a sign in screen. My ipad always had trouble with those.
3. Screen is nice, but sometimes a little too sensitive I think. Opens apps when scrolling through them for example.
4. Love using Google services, Google Talk, Gmail, and live wallpaper. And get latest Google Maps and navigation. Apple always tried to lock them out.
My wishes.
1. Froyo to enable beach live wallpaper. Coming soon, I hope...
2. Microphone. Can one be added on via 3.5mm jack? Would love to make sip calls, but no dice so far.
3. Static wifi, that doesnt sleep. Or at least the option to turn it on and off.

Benny1234 said:
3. Static wifi, that doesnt sleep. Or at least the option to turn it on and off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wvcachi said:
1. How do I keep wifi from turning off when the screen goes to sleep?
- download Spare Parts from the market and set wifi sleep policy to never.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hope that helps.

i agree with most observations comparing an iPad to NC.
I have both right now, and I definitely think when compared to iOS Android lacks polish and is behind in terms of apps.

10 characters

For the most part the apps are almost the same for what I do. Apple just really has a nice way of dummy proofing products with the exception of flash everything works right out the box.
Sent from my Nook Color

[Q] Nook Color vs. Viewsonic G Tablet

just looking for some input here. what does everyone think about the pros/cons of these two tablets? after everything's all said and done, which would you rather invest in?
The nook seems to have a much better screen and a more appealing form factor. it's also $130 cheaper.
the G tablet appears to have a mediocre screen but it already has the horsepower/expandability of tablets that will cost twice as much (ie. xoom). i know the xoom will shred this thing in benchmarks, but for all intents and purposes the g tablet can handle anything software-wise that's currently available with flying colors.
i'm assuming both will have a fully functioning port of honeycomb in the near future (whether official release or custom rom) so software-wise they will probably be pretty similar.
is the tegra 2 and added expandability of the g tablet worth the extra $ and putting up with the marginal display, or is the lower cost/better build-quality of the nook worth accepting the limited hardware? am i missing something in my comparison of the two?
would love to hear from the community on this debate.

How are you planning on using it?
I went with the Nook because I like the form factor, it has a great screen, and more than enough power for what I want it for (e-reader, browser, portable multi-media, simple games, etc). Lacking a mic port and decent sound are the only two real negatives, but headphones do sound quite good.
I don't yet consider tablets to be replacements for PC's or Laptops so far as doing any heavy lifting, but the NC can probably handle the majority of business and entertainment needs for most people (minus phone features, which *may* be partially remedied is Blutooth support is worled out by the awesome XDA people working on custom ROM builds...)

ColoradoPhoney said:
How are you planning on using it?
I went with the Nook because I like the form factor, it has a great screen, and more than enough power for what I want it for (e-reader, browser, portable multi-media, simple games, etc). Lacking a mic port and decent sound are the only two real negatives, but headphones do sound quite good.
I don't yet consider tablets to be replacements for PC's or Laptops so far as doing any heavy lifting, but the NC can probably handle the majority of business and entertainment needs for most people (minus phone features, which *may* be partially remedied is Blutooth support is worled out by the awesome XDA people working on custom ROM builds...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
good question, and probably the main factor people will use to decide between the two.
for me, i originally liked the idea of the nook because i've wanted an ereader for awhile, and plan on using it to read magazines, books etc pretty often. but i also want to use it as a multimedia device- streaming video/movies etc. i like the idea of gaming on a device that is larger than my phone. i have lots of fun playing games on my droid x (my two faves are gun bros and dungeon defenders) and the potential for using a tablet device as a killer gaming console seems to be limitless. the G tablet seems to fit the multimedia/gaming niche better, but i think it will be inferior for e-reading because of the screen. i guess my question is: does the superior screen/e-reading capability of the nook (and lower price) outweigh the untapped hardware potential and video/gaming prowess of the G tablet?

I was shopping G-Tablet and Nook as well. In the end I wanted a smaller form factor that can be easily held for a period of time for reading. I'm not a big gamer so Nook is my choice.
I think you would miss Nook's screen if you pick the G-tablet! The IPS screen is just awesome.
Did you look at Tmobile G-Slate as well?

I've owned both... And honestly its hard to compare. Main reason is the size factor. That will ultimately be the deciding factor...
Reading on a 10 inch had its benefits, as well as drawbacks. Holding the Gtab for extended amounts of time is tedious. The quality of the screen (viewing angles) really does not affect ebook reading etc. Honestly unless its laying in your lap flat, you won't notice the loss of angle.
For gaming... There is no comparison. Tegra2 @1 ghz rocks even the most graphic intensive games.
So... I'd say the following in summary=
For heavy reading and light gaming, coupled with moderate productivity and light media... Go with the NC
For light reading, heavy gaming and moderate productivity & media... Choose the Gtab.
Its really a matter of personal preference... Depending on what your ideal usage looks like.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

Bandage said:
I've owned both... And honestly its hard to compare. Main reason is the size factor. That will ultimately be the deciding factor...
Reading on a 10 inch had its benefits, as well as drawbacks. Holding the Gtab for extended amounts of time is tedious. The quality of the screen (viewing angles) really does not affect ebook reading etc. Honestly unless its laying in your lap flat, you won't notice the loss of angle.
For gaming... There is no comparison. Tegra2 @1 ghz rocks even the most graphic intensive games.
So... I'd say the following in summary=
For heavy reading and light gaming, coupled with moderate productivity and light media... Go with the NC
For light reading, heavy gaming and moderate productivity & media... Choose the Gtab.
Its really a matter of personal preference... Depending on what your ideal usage looks like.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
uggh... this sucks. i feel like i'm right in the middle of these two categories. maybe i should buy both and see which i like better...

Understandable... That's exactly what i did lol. Also have the Dell streak 7 heh.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

I'm coming off the G Tablet and still waiting for my Nook Color to come in, but I'll chime in with why I returned the Viewsonic.
Ultimately, it came down to cost and quality. There is a lot of hardware under the hood of the G Tablet, but for the $400 I paid, I regretted not just getting an iPad. It was really a build quality thing for me. I was willing to look past the horrendous viewing angles and the weird 3D effect in portrait mode, but I started getting some screen rippling, and the unit would kind of "creak" as if cheaply constructed. The rippling was so small that it didn't bother me, but it sure made me paranoid, because it showed up after just a week.
I will try to post after I've rooted my Nook and played with it a little while to give a comparison, but I'm pretty confident the screen is going to blow away the G Tablet. Probably build quality, too. I don't want it to come off as me hating on the G Tablet, because I really wanted to love it (it was a sweet cbr reader), but I couldn't risk having the thing crap out on me once the warranty ran out. For the money, if the NC dies after a year, I won't feel as duped out of my money and will still be able to replace it with whatever the new thing is.
I should also comment that I'll probably buy an iPad 2 later in the year so I have a big tablet for comics, movies and games and a smaller tablet for e-reading and light multimedia use. Because I do miss my G tablet for the multimedia uses.

cwininger said:
just looking for some input here. what does everyone think about the pros/cons of these two tablets? after everything's all said and done, which would you rather invest in?
The nook seems to have a much better screen and a more appealing form factor. it's also $130 cheaper.
the G tablet appears to have a mediocre screen but it already has the horsepower/expandability of tablets that will cost twice as much (ie. xoom). i know the xoom will shred this thing in benchmarks, but for all intents and purposes the g tablet can handle anything software-wise that's currently available with flying colors.
i'm assuming both will have a fully functioning port of honeycomb in the near future (whether official release or custom rom) so software-wise they will probably be pretty similar.
is the tegra 2 and added expandability of the g tablet worth the extra $ and putting up with the marginal display, or is the lower cost/better build-quality of the nook worth accepting the limited hardware? am i missing something in my comparison of the two?
would love to hear from the community on this debate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Quadrant benchmark for the Xoom is 1826. With Honeycomb and 1.1GHz overclocked kernel, I just got 1728 running the same benchmark on the Nook Color, so i'm not sure I'd call that "shredded"?

Side by side the NC screen destroys the gtabs mediocre screen. Dell streak 7 has a crappy 800x480 resolution and also bad viewing angles.

I returned the g tablet because of the screen and weight. I could have looked past the weight or delt with it but the screen angles were so bad it was a chore to use. anything beyond black text on white was almost impossible to see unless directly in front of your eyes. I really wanted it to work too...
now that I picked up a nc and running honeycomb I'm glad I made this choice. I am also really liking the size and portability of the nc. for $250 I just dont see how you could go wrong
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

ta2025 said:
The Quadrant benchmark for the Xoom is 1826. With Honeycomb and 1.1GHz overclocked kernel, I just got 1728 running the same benchmark on the Nook Color, so i'm not sure I'd call that "shredded"?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
quadrant isn't an appropriate benchmark to use when comparing these two devices. besides, when apps start coming out that take full advantage of the tegra 2 it won't even be a discussion. that's not even taking into consideration what the dev's around here will be able to get out of the xoom.

Mikroft said:
Side by side the NC screen destroys the gtabs mediocre screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. Having owned one for a week, I'd say calling the screen mediocre is waaaaay too nice though. The NC is so much better.
While the Tegra2 destroys the NC's 530, it wasn't meant for that. I'd wait for the LG G-Slate pricing, etc. The XOOM is already a fail IMO due it's pricing, data plans and crippled wifi (until someone here at XDA remedies that). If either Tablet were to appear in a WiFi only capacity that'd be sweet too.

cwininger said:
uggh... this sucks. i feel like i'm right in the middle of these two categories. maybe i should buy both and see which i like better...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me reading in portrait mode on gtablet was horrible.Was too long and the horrible viewing angles made it impossible to get proper screen without weird viewing artifacts.....returned it and got the nook.
For flash though, the gtablet ran as well as my laptop

Bandage said:
I've owned both... And honestly its hard to compare. Main reason is the size factor. That will ultimately be the deciding factor...
Reading on a 10 inch had its benefits, as well as drawbacks. Holding the Gtab for extended amounts of time is tedious. The quality of the screen (viewing angles) really does not affect ebook reading etc. Honestly unless its laying in your lap flat, you won't notice the loss of angle.
For gaming... There is no comparison. Tegra2 @1 ghz rocks even the most graphic intensive games.
So... I'd say the following in summary=
For heavy reading and light gaming, coupled with moderate productivity and light media... Go with the NC
For light reading, heavy gaming and moderate productivity & media... Choose the Gtab.
Its really a matter of personal preference... Depending on what your ideal usage looks like.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tend to disagree with this. Hardware is hardware, but unless there is software and a medium for the user to take advantage of the hardware it is as good as a piece of poop in your hands.
Perhaps, with better software, the GTab is a great option, but the screen is still lacking, big time.
For $249 you can NOT do better than the Nook Color. And with the 1.1gHz OC, it flies! As far as a gaming it runs everything I throw at it currently. That being said I still game more on my iPhone and iPad. Not because of the hardware but because of the software selection.
When we start seeing games like "Infinity Blade" on Android ... then I will sell my Apple products, until then I keep both.

The screen and portability won me over
I currently own an ipad and nook and did own a gtab. The screen on the gtab was what killed it for me. It was blazing fast, but get a tiny bit off center and the colors go straight to hell, a little further off center and it becomes unusable. The ipad and nook have amazing screens. I prefer the nook though for its hackability and size. Both the ipad and gtab are a bit heavy and awkward to hold for any length of time. For the money, you really can't do better than the nook right now.

OP: Just curious what you ended up doing, as I'm in a similar situation.
I want an android tablet but I'm tired of waiting for the "really good" tablets to come out. I would like to get something in the mean time until my ideal tablet is released sometime in the future.
I feel like the G tab could last me longer because it has Tegra 2 and a 10 in. screen, but the screen isn't great and is missing gps. The NC has a great screen but older slower processor and the screen is smaller. I plan on using a tablet in a variety of ways. Probably about an equal amount of reading, browsing, gaming and video watching. Another reason the NC is tempting is because it's cheaper and I'm not sure spending more on the G Tablet is necessary if I'm just going to upgrade again in the near future.
Anybody have insight on which one has better battery life?

cwininger said:
just looking for some input here. what does everyone think about the pros/cons of these two tablets? after everything's all said and done, which would you rather invest in?
The nook seems to have a much better screen and a more appealing form factor. it's also $130 cheaper.
the G tablet appears to have a mediocre screen but it already has the horsepower/expandability of tablets that will cost twice as much (ie. xoom). i know the xoom will shred this thing in benchmarks, but for all intents and purposes the g tablet can handle anything software-wise that's currently available with flying colors.
i'm assuming both will have a fully functioning port of honeycomb in the near future (whether official release or custom rom) so software-wise they will probably be pretty similar.
is the tegra 2 and added expandability of the g tablet worth the extra $ and putting up with the marginal display, or is the lower cost/better build-quality of the nook worth accepting the limited hardware? am i missing something in my comparison of the two?
would love to hear from the community on this debate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I own both. If I were constrained to use only one, it would be the Gtablet. Here are the reasons:
1. Froyo is not stable on the NC. Some ROMs are okay but it's not completely stable.
2. The wifi is buggy. If you haven't encountered problems yet it's because you haven't been to a site with incompatible wifi routers. When I travel, I can't afford to have a device that won't allow me to connect. Do a search and you will see all the wifi problems. Here's one recently: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=986133
3. NC is stock eclair while Gtablet is stock froyo. Makes a big difference when it comes from the manufacturer. I know there are smart XDA guys/gals hacking at making froyo work on the NC. I doubt BN will have an update to Froyo - there's no business reason for them to do it.
4. Gtablet has a microphone and camera plus bluetooth.
5. If honeycomb (and I mean if) comes to NC and Gtab, the Gtab will have it in performance.

Good points. What is the most popular rom on the Nook Color?

I think froyo may be the most popular mainly because its safe. I for one love honeycomb. Even with all its little quirks and stuff but the pros far outweigh the cons to me
Sent from one of those missing Droids

Viewsonic Aims Squarely at the Nook

So viewsonic's 7" tablet just hit Amazon, and is priced at $230.00.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846
It's an interesting device that's pre-loaded with a bunch of Amazon apps (including teh Amazon App store). Sorta like a pseudo-Amazon Kindle Color.
And Viewsonic is aiming squarely at the Nook with this device, just scroll down to the end of their product page for a spec-by spec comparison:
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/vb730.htm
Funny thing: though the spec sheet mentions that both tablets have a 7" screen, it conveniently fails to list their resolution. (The Viewsonic is just 800 x 480).
Still, the fact that this thing includes built-in stylus technology makes it a serious competitor to HTC's 7" View tablet. If it weren't for the low resolution screen, i might even consider one myself.

Wow for 230.00 bucks i would of bought that.... that's a great priced little tablet.

Yes, the NOOKcolor does have serious competitor.
Feature-wise, so far that Viewsonic has offered a lot more. Few down-side
+ far less superior screen
+ no wireless-N
+ seperate charger port. NC uses microUSB port as charger
+ thicker 14mm (vs. NC 12mm)
But it gains
+ default bluetooth 2.1
+ microphone
+ webcam
+ 1GHz CPU (can it be overclocked?)
+ regular miniUSB
+ miniHDMI
+ 10hrs vs 8hrs battery life (not much diff. i guess)
+ front speaker (better than on the back like the NC, i personal feeling)
+ lighter 15.2oz (vs. NC 15.8oz)
Next question, can this V730 be flashed and run CM7 like we did the NC?
I think if it has IPS screen tech, it will beat the NOOK.

What I've come to learn about Android phones and tablets is, the specs are near meaningless, the real strength of a device is it's community. Imagine the Nook without CM7 or even root... I have a friend who has the Galaxy Tab(CDMA), which pretty much out specs the Nook in every way, but I would never trade, because the Tabs community is basically just a rag tag group with no star action. Matter of fact my friend is jealous of all my Nook can do...
Most device manufacturers load down their android devices with so much crap or don't optimize enough that even dual core devices run like crap...
/end of rant

votinh said:
Yes, the NOOKcolor does have serious competitor.
Feature-wise, so far that Viewsonic has offered a lot more. Few down-side
+ far less superior screen
+ no wireless-N
+ seperate charger port. NC uses microUSB port as charger
+ thicker 14mm (vs. NC 12mm)
But it gains
+ default bluetooth 2.1
+ microphone
+ webcam
+ 1GHz CPU (can it be overclocked?)
+ regular miniUSB
+ miniHDMI
+ 10hrs vs 8hrs battery life (not much diff. i guess)
+ front speaker (better than on the back like the NC, i personal feeling)
+ lighter 15.2oz (vs. NC 15.8oz)
Next question, can this V730 be flashed and run CM7 like we did the NC?
I think if it has IPS screen tech, it will beat the NOOK.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why would it beat the nook? Even if it were an IPS screen (and knowing Viewsonic, it will be the cheapest crap they can find; already demoed by the pathetic 800x480 screen), the other "extra" features really aren't that great.
I will knock bluetooth off your list, since it works just fine in CM7 (yes, range could be better, but frankly, i have never had a problem there either).
So, it leaves you with some extra ports and a crappy webcam. Sorry, but i will take the amazing quality IPS screen any day over some extra ports and webcam. (BTW - the "regular" USB thing is silly, since "regular" microUSB plugs in just fine to our port..)

The 800x480 resolution makes it a non-starter for me.

So you're telling me if the VB730 has 1024x600 IPS screen, just like the NC, it is still a bad one, and can't compete to the NC?

Divine_Madcat said:
Why would it beat the nook? Even if it were an IPS screen (and knowing Viewsonic, it will be the cheapest crap they can find; already demoed by the pathetic 800x480 screen), the other "extra" features really aren't that great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. The biggest selling point of the NC for me is the beautiful IPS hi-res display. Viewsonic won't have a solid competitor (IMO) with such a low-res screen.
Stock-for-stock, it'll be a better option for Joe Schmoe in the market for a cheapie tablet, though. That is, unless a Nook owner gets to them first... haha

votinh said:
So you're telling me if the VB730 has 1024x600 IPS screen, just like the NC, it is still a bad one, and can't compete to the NC?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IF it had as good a screen as the Nook, then yes it'd be an interesting stock alternative. But as it's spec'ed now with thet 800x480 screen, that probably makes it a negative for a large number of folks. The Bluetooth is a plus vs Stock NC, but not versus CM7 NC. The mini-USB port vs micro is nice in that it's probably a fair bit sturdier than what we've got now, but all in all, not a huge deal.
The mini-HDMI is interesting, but again, when paired with the 800x480 screen, it's unclear whether it will push out worthwhile resolution. The thing that will be interesting is if they come out with a version that's got a higher resolution screen, and what the real detail is about their CPU/GPU.
The stylus is a marketing hype positive against a stock NC. You can obviously buy a stylus for any capacitive screen tablet for under 20 bucks. Whether or not the Viewsonic "RiteTouch" is any good, only time will tell.
The rest of the list is pretty much vs the Stock NC, so this is a stock vs stock argument. We have no way of knowing whether or not the hacking community for this device will be as strong as the one for the NC, so again only time will tell.
But right now, with what knowledge we have... I still feel NC is better, at least for my needs.

That's what I stated up there, the VB730 has far less superior screen compared to the NOOK. Also said if it has the same screen tech/resolution as the NC, then it is a serious competitor. Assuming xda-developer as well as cyanogenmod gurus will tackle this little tablet later on like they did for the NC, then this guys would be good.
Don't know why this site has too many hot-head blindly jumped on defending their Nook.
Can they relax and open their mind? Geez

I think it has to do with the unique nature of unlocking an e-reader for use as a full-fledged tablet, and it's great hardware for the price.
Also, I wonder how much a comparable screen would raise the Viewsonic's price.

Have you folk ever actually tried to use a capacitive stylus? I mean, give me a break . . . unless you like writing with a crayon, they are mostly useless. Pretty much impossible to use one to underline *.pdf files (or, for that matter, comfortably write).
For me, depends on the stylus technology. If you're getting something like the HTC Flyer's stylus, I think it would be a good deal, so long as there is more built-in software support. But they're kind of vague about the whole thing on the website. I haven't been able to find more information about "RiteTouch" technology. I'm waiting to see what somebody serious says about how the stylus actually works with the device.

kennyminot said:
Have you folk ever actually tried to use a capacitive stylus? I mean, give me a break . . . unless you like writing with a crayon, they are mostly useless. Pretty much impossible to use one to underline *.pdf files (or, for that matter, comfortably write).
For me, depends on the stylus technology. If you're getting something like the HTC Flyer's stylus, I think it would be a good deal, so long as there is more built-in software support. But they're kind of vague about the whole thing on the website. I haven't been able to find more information about "RiteTouch" technology. I'm waiting to see what somebody serious says about how the stylus actually works with the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. Looking for a review. If the stylus works well, I'll probably wait and see if they release an upgraded version with a 1024 x 600 screen and then maybe.

joenathane said:
What I've come to learn about Android phones and tablets is, the specs are near meaningless, the real strength of a device is it's community. Imagine the Nook without CM7 or even root... I have a friend who has the Galaxy Tab(CDMA), which pretty much out specs the Nook in every way, but I would never trade, because the Tabs community is basically just a rag tag group with no star action. Matter of fact my friend is jealous of all my Nook can do...
Most device manufacturers load down their android devices with so much crap or don't optimize enough that even dual core devices run like crap...
/end of rant
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This. When the honeycomb/ICS source code launches, we have a strong enough community that we will be seeing a port, and its going to completely transform our ereaders into full fledged tablets. This viewsonic tablet probably wont have that support if previous models are anything to judge by, and the horrible screen resolution means that even if it did, it would be stuck with the phone UI since there simply isnt enough space to show tablet optimized applications.

So the first Amazon reader review is in:
http://www.amazon.com/ViewBook-VB73...dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
Reviewer claims it has a RESISTIVE screen! Whoa! Hadn't seen that mentioned anywhere. In fact, I hadn't seen any mention either way. But if this is true then it surely makes a big difference (and explains the included pen). The next question is: is it multi-touch? I have to assume it is, because it would be pretty crippling if it weren't.
Now, I'm not going to immediately discount a device with a resistive screen (no doubt the technology is improving day to day) but I'd definitely want to read some in depth testimonials on how it compares to the capacitive screens we've all grown to know and love.
(EDIT: The Tiger Direct page lists "resistive screen" in the specs: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=782735&CatId=6957 So this Nook competitor is becoming less impressive the more I read about it.)

Depends on if they are using new multitouch resistive controllers.
h t t p://w w w.designnews.com/document.asp?doc_id=230884&

dsf3g said:
So the first Amazon reader review is in:
http://www.amazon.com/ViewBook-VB73...dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
Reviewer claims it has a RESISTIVE screen! Whoa! Hadn't seen that mentioned anywhere. In fact, I hadn't seen any mention either way. But if this is true then it surely makes a big difference (and explains the included pen). The next question is: is it multi-touch? I have to assume it is, because it would be pretty crippling if it weren't.
Now, I'm not going to immediately discount a device with a resistive screen (no doubt the technology is improving day to day) but I'd definitely want to read some in depth testimonials on how it compares to the capacitive screens we've all grown to know and love.
(EDIT: The Tiger Direct page lists "resistive screen" in the specs: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=782735&CatId=6957 So this Nook competitor is becoming less impressive the more I read about it.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it has a pen input, then resistive is really the only way to go there. As said, writing with a capactive stylus is annoying at best.
As for multitouch, usually that is NOT possible on resistive but I don't think it's impossible either.

Really, the advantage of capacitive touchscreens is probably a little overstated. I currently have two resistive touchscreen tablets. The T91MT was one of the first cheap tablet devices on the market, and it has a pretty sensitive screen with multitouch features. Most people would have trouble telling the difference between that and a capacitive screen. My Pocket eDGe has a much less sensitive screen, although its ability to use a stylus makes it much more useful than most recent Android devices. I'm not entirely convinced that a capacitive touchscreen is the best option, especially when you consider that the technology has likely advanced over the last couple years.
So . . . a resistive touchscreen . . .
(1) can have multitouch support;
(2) can be used at any temperature;
(3) can be used with any object that applies pressure;
(4) is extremely accurate;
(5) is cheap.
I'd still like to see how the stylus works. It would be really neat if it had palm rejection.

That amazon review is mine .. I had a gift card to amazon so i ordered this instead of the nook.
Since writing that review initially the amazon market has more annoyed me as I am lacking things I wish i had from the google market and I can't seem to find any drivers to support this device to make any attempt at rooting it so I can get the google market on it.
Hulu+ runs on it though thats a bonus i think.
The screen is difficult to tell if it is truly a resistive screen or something else, as why i put in the review it appears to be a hybrid of some kind. Using my Bamboo Capacitive Stylus I am able to control the screen and all just the same as using the included Rite Touch stylus, which as far as i can tell is nothing but a regular old resistive plastic tip stylus. On the Multi-touch issue I've read it is but it doesn't appear to be as I can't pinch to zoom and the usual multi-touch gestures although the double tap to zoom I use more even on cap screens than the pinch.

Divine_Madcat said:
Why would it beat the nook? Even if it were an IPS screen (and knowing Viewsonic, it will be the cheapest crap they can find; already demoed by the pathetic 800x480 screen), the other "extra" features really aren't that great.
I will knock bluetooth off your list, since it works just fine in CM7 (yes, range could be better, but frankly, i have never had a problem there either).
So, it leaves you with some extra ports and a crappy webcam. Sorry, but i will take the amazing quality IPS screen any day over some extra ports and webcam. (BTW - the "regular" USB thing is silly, since "regular" microUSB plugs in just fine to our port..)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I still have problems with bluetooth keyboards, runing nightly 126 and 131. I have a Xoom bluetooth with a modified qwerty.kl file to enable most of the android special keys to work. The three annoying issues with Xoom keyboard is that it will stop working while typing long messages, have to hit power button on it to restart; a key will stick kkkkkkkkkk; and not easy to get out of pop-up for accent keys. You do not see these problems? The best feature is that I can leave power adapter plugged in with bluetooth.
When I use my Logitech wireless usb combo keyboard and mouse I only seem to get the pop-up accent box. The negative is even with a y cable it does not seem to charge nook while in host and v-bus mode. The combination arrow and keyboard interface is really slick.
Anybody else notice these flaws with bluetooth and usb keyboards?

Dream Tablet/Reader?

I've got a nook because I feel like it's the best combo of features. Still its a little small, a little slow, and I cant read it in the sun (I primarily use it to read).
What I would piss my pants for is a 8-8.6" transflective screen, with a current generation single core processor, 10+ hours of battery life, wifi-only, and of course rootable. I don't want to pay for a camera. I don't want to pay for a GPS receiver. I want this for $300.

I'd like to mention that dead trees are the best, before recommending the Amazon Kindle. I have a k2i and find it excellent for reading.

I attacheda matte screen protector. It makes a world of difference.
Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk

Dream Tablet? Ok here we go:
Looks the same as my Nook Color does now. The aesthetics are great, its easy and comfy to hold and very thin. Here is what I would add if physics would allow me to
Tegra2 <-- Although I am very happy with the CPU that it has now.
2GB RAM (Sure 1GB is fine, but the chipset can address 2GB so why not?)
USB Port (full sized)
2nd MicroSD slot because, well, we can.
Kickstand
Nook OS (Stock) based on Honeycomb, but with full market access.
Bluetooth enabled at the factory - B&N to sell a nice looking bluetooth keyboard.
This is key: I do not want the dimensions altered in any way. It must be the exact same W H L that it is now, just with a few extra ports and some real power under the hood.

filterxg said:
What I would piss my pants for is a 8-8.6" transflective screen, with a current generation single core processor, 10+ hours of battery life, wifi-only, and of course rootable. I don't want to pay for a camera. I don't want to pay for a GPS receiver. I want this for $300.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know if it's breaking 10 hours or has root yet, but it sounds like the Vizio tablet comes a bit closer to what you want than the NC. Reviews mention lag in the UI, but reports are that a software update smoothed things out considerably.

inportb said:
I'd like to mention that dead trees are the best.....[snip]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem with dead trees and the print thereon is that you can't find all of the NY Times 100 best sellers just lying around in the street, in the way you can find epubs floating on the interweb thingy.

filterxg said:
I've got a nook because I feel like it's the best combo of features. Still its a little small, a little slow, and I cant read it in the sun (I primarily use it to read).
What I would piss my pants for is a 8-8.6" transflective screen, with a current generation single core processor, 10+ hours of battery life, wifi-only, and of course rootable. I don't want to pay for a camera. I don't want to pay for a GPS receiver. I want this for $300.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you're in the right area.
If that's all what you asked for, then the NOOKcolor is the perfect one for you.
It's single core processor, it's wifi only, it's nootable, it has no camera, it has no gps, it's $250 new. If you turn everything off but reading, you will get 8 to 10 hours run. It's only 7" but the tradeoff is it's surely lighter than 8+" one.