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Has anyone spent a good amount of time with both a rooted Nook Color and the Galaxy Tab who can write some impressions on how they compare in regular use? The $350 difference is dictating that I go Nook Color, but it's always fun to hear comparisons before buying...
BertoJG said:
I have the NC, Archos 70, and VS tablet right now, and the color is by far the best screen.
The VS device lasted all of an hour before I decided that I am returning it tomorrow, it is that bad even with custom roms. The screen is bad, the unit is heavy, and I decided the 7 inch size is my favorite.
The Archos running froyo is very buggy, only has 256mb of ram, and has wifi issues at this point and feels like I could break it by looking at it too hard.
The color is the best display, has plenty of ram, and feels very solid. We just need a good rom and it should fly!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From the "should I get a nook color " thread.
By Bertojg. I couldn't link to the thread from my phone
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
noodles12 said:
From the "should I get a nook color " thread.
By Bertojg. I couldn't link to the thread from my phone
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was wondering more in comparison to the Samsung Galaxy Tab, but that's cool too.
Oh scrap. I can't read.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
Two of my coworkers got a Tab. It is definitely better than the Nook Color - it's running Android 2.2 out of the box, the screen is as excellent as the Nook's, and it's got 3G, gps, bluetooth, and a camera (if those things are important to you).
It's also snappier as it has a slightly faster chip. It is thicker than the Nook Color though.
The biggest difference is that you can pretty much buy 2 Nook Colors for 1 Tab.
If you want the full Android 2.2 experience and the $300+ price difference is not a factor, then yeah get a Tab.
i only tested a display and i was blown away by the experience. all the goodness of the nook (great screen,sturdy hardware, 512MB of ram) with the performance of the archos 70 (much snappier than the nook-but not as fast as the galaxy).
i'm very much considering returning both the nook and archos 70 and just getting the galaxy tab. i only need one (other) tablet anyways.
The point is, how is the potential of the NC with a custom ROM?
With a fine software many think that the NC will perform almost as good as the Tab...
Time will tell.
I think it will.... Roms do make a HUGE difference with these type of devices. Let's hope someone get one out soon.
king conan said:
The point is, how is the potential of the NC with a custom ROM?
With a fine software many think that the NC will perform almost as good as the Tab...
Time will tell.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wasn't too impressed with the Galaxy Tab when compared to the Nook Color. I don't need 3G, bluetooth or a camera because my phone has all of that. I've played with the Galaxy Tab in a store here in Finland and it's quite thick as well.
The Nook Color is thinner and than my iPad but with the same resolution screen and more dots per inch.
The cost is another issue. The Galaxy Tab is over 800euro over here yet the Nook Color came to under 300 euro including 23% local import tax and shipping service cost. I would have bought the Galaxy Tab if the price wasn't so ridiculous.
discourse said:
The cost is another issue. The Galaxy Tab is over 800euro over here yet the Nook Color came to under 300 euro including 23% local import tax and shipping service cost. I would have bought the Galaxy Tab if the price wasn't so ridiculous.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
800 euro... that's 1050 USD. Here you pick up the Galaxy at the store for 600 USD, some 450 Euro.
Gotta love the CHEAP US of A!
I think we need to be a bit honest with ourselves here. Let us cut to the chase, the Galaxy Tab is a better device than the NC. It is more capable out of the box because of the hardware it carries, and as good as the Nook Color is, lack of hardware features can never be made up by the best ROM in the world.
This does not mean the Nook Color is a bad device. It is a great device, in its price range.
To me, the Nook is not a competitor to the Galaxy Tab. The Tab is a BMW. The Nook Color is a sturdy Ford, both good - but two different devices that do not compete with each other.
A buyer interested in a Galaxy Tab will not consider a Nook Color (as a Android tablet) just like a Nook Color buyer will not consider a Galaxy Tab. The price differential is just too big.
There is much to like about both devices, but comparing them, IMO, is apples to oranges - and a mismatch from the get-go.
Keep in mind who makes the Tab
Like so many others I heard about the Samsung Behold 2 and how those customers got screwed but got a Samsung Vibrant anyway. And like so many others I found out the GPS is borked. And the battery life is poor. At least I didn't experience the lag problem, but I returned it.
And watched for the not-really-promised GPS fix. Which finally came and...didn't work. I really liked the screen and wanted to like the phone, but if the phone can't do what was advertised up front, forget it.
And Samsung on Android 2.3 on their S9000 series of phones (e.g. Vibrant)? Their statement sounded like "Maybe someday if we feel like it and there is a strong tailwind we might think about it but no promises". Maybe the phone is a dead end, maybe it isn't, but based on Samsung's performance so far, I wouldn't count on it. It doesn't have 2.2 yet. My phone (MT4G) came with it, my wife's (DX) got an OTA.
To me this says the Samsung Tab is absolutely out. You'd have to practically give me one to get me to take it. Same for the Nexus S.
The Nook, right now, is not fully tabletized, but that's a matter of software. It has a fabulous screen and seems reasonable in many ways. It is far cheaper than any of its competition (as a tablet). I find it stylish and I could actually imagine reading books on it (I know, what am I thinking?). And my wife is irate that I'm considering it so soon after she got me an Air.
So, is there a Plex controller that is worthwhile for Android tablets? That'd go a LONG way toward getting approval from the missus.
I agree. Samsung has never supported their devices well, and they still insist on using proprietary cables and connectors on everything. On top of that, they went ahead and did everything I dislike about apple by releasing the galaxy tab at that price. They are not even trying to compete with the Ipad, they are just assuming that everyone who wants an android tablet will shell out the big bucks to buy it, the same way apple fans will shell out the big bucks to buy anything made by apple. I'm sure it's a good device, it's gotten great reviews - I just don't like the way they went about it.
My wife told me after I got the NC that she was going to get me a Tab for Christmas. I'm glad I got the NC, I would have had to return the Tab! Too many features in the Tab that I just won't use. The only thing it has that I wish the NC had, is the slightly faster processor (800MHz vs 1GHz.)
Besides the hardware differences, it's a Samsung. They aren't known for providing updates in a timely manner and support on their devices. Sure, we don't know about the NC's status in that respect, but I also don't really care given it's price point. Whatever the development community does is fine by me!
But as was already said, you aren't comparing apples to oranges, you're comparing apples to a fruit basket. It's got more, it's different, and it's more money. I'm fine with apples.
xwint3rxmut3x said:
I agree. Samsung has never supported their devices well, and they still insist on using proprietary cables and connectors on everything. On top of that, they went ahead and did everything I dislike about apple by releasing the galaxy tab at that price. They are not even trying to compete with the Ipad, they are just assuming that everyone who wants an android tablet will shell out the big bucks to buy it, the same way apple fans will shell out the big bucks to buy anything made by apple. I'm sure it's a good device, it's gotten great reviews - I just don't like the way they went about it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While we're talking about Samsung's business tactics that leave a sour taste in your mouth, two things come to mind:
- apparently they turned down Google's proposal for them to name the eventual Nexus S the Nexus 2 because "we're not #2 in anything." Wow. Surely someone is making a year-end list of "biggest douchebag quotes of the year" right about now - please note this one.
- I'd sacrifice my first-born if the reason for the delay until "after the holidays" for the wifi-only Tab was because of production delays. Either the carriers threw money at them to delay it, or it's just more profitable for them to sell 3g models, so they delayed it (or both). The irony is, I'd more strongly consider a Tab if a $450 wifi model was available now.
It would be closer if the Nook Color had Bluetooth, that way you could use a Bluetooth GPS, headsets, etc...
...but someone posted in another topic that Bluetooth might be there just "hidden", maybe in a custom ROM ?
discourse said:
I wasn't too impressed with the Galaxy Tab when compared to the Nook Color. I don't need 3G, bluetooth or a camera because my phone has all of that. I've played with the Galaxy Tab in a store here in Finland and it's quite thick as well.
The Nook Color is thinner and than my iPad but with the same resolution screen and more dots per inch.
The cost is another issue. The Galaxy Tab is over 800euro over here yet the Nook Color came to under 300 euro including 23% local import tax and shipping service cost. I would have bought the Galaxy Tab if the price wasn't so ridiculous.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi discourse, I see you live in Finland (Europe), and as I am thinking of getting a Nook Color myself, could you tell me from which online store did you buy yours?
Thank you..!
About the Galaxy Tab, I've played with it for about an hour. My opinion is that it is laggy and definitely doesn't worth the ~600 euros that is its price here in Greece.
webvan said:
It would be closer if the Nook Color had Bluetooth, that way you could use a Bluetooth GPS, headsets, etc...
...but someone posted in another topic that Bluetooth might be there just "hidden", maybe in a custom ROM ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The processor chipset (?) is supposed to include bluetooth. It's assumed it wasn't activated due to licensing costs for bluetooth, so it's there, just not used and may be "unlocked" by a rom.
I've both. NC cannot compare to the Galaxy Tab in user experience.
You just get a much better polished experience with the tab on everything. Tab's gpu is almost 10x faster in polygon count. CPU is faster (even with SetCPU set at performance on NC). Everything just works on the Tab.
That said, I am considering returning my Tab because of all the new tablets coming out in a few months, and the price. NC could hold me over for a few months.
wvcachi said:
Has anyone spent a good amount of time with both a rooted Nook Color and the Galaxy Tab who can write some impressions on how they compare in regular use? The $350 difference is dictating that I go Nook Color, but it's always fun to hear comparisons before buying...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gigadigit said:
I've both. NC cannot compare to the Galaxy Tab in user experience.
You just get a much better polished experience with the tab on everything. Tab's gpu is almost 10x faster in polygon count. CPU is faster (even with SetCPU set at performance on NC). Everything just works on the Tab.
That said, I am considering returning my Tab because of all the new tablets coming out in a few months, and the price. NC could hold me over for a few months.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you know if the hardware GPU is better than the NC or is just based on current software of Tab vs NC? I've done a lot of research into the nook color, but I admit, graphics wise it's still a bit of a mystery to me.
I'm looking for a Tab, but Transformer seems to big for me. P1000 is the perfect size, but it is pretty old device. Is it still worth buying today?
Thanks.
If you think 7" tablet is a perfect size for you then why not, the Galaxy tab is only 1 year old and it still stands against any other alternatives out in the market today.
I would hardly say just because the tablet is "pretty old" that it isn't a good purchase. It's well supported by developers and the fact that people are still purchasing it... Its a solid working and built piece of kit.
You won't be disappointed.
I would say that they are definitely still worth it. The price point alone is a great reason. You can get a Galaxy tablet for less than half the price of many of the newest tabs.
It's already been shown that these models are capable of running the new firmwares. There are ports of Honeycomb out there already, and though there are still some issues to be ironed out, they work pretty well. Since installing a 2.3.4 rom on my vzw tab, I've been very impressed with how responsive and cleanly it runs.
Having handled some of the newer and larger tablets, I've found that the smaller size is really more ideal to me personally. I can fit my Galaxy tablet in my pocket. My folks for example both have iPads, and they are just much larger and bulkier devices. You can't drop one in your pocket real quick while you are out on the run.
Anyway, hope that helps!
Seamus1 said:
I would say that they are definitely still worth it. The price point alone is a great reason. You can get a Galaxy tablet for less than half the price of many of the newest tabs.
It's already been shown that these models are capable of running the new firmwares. There are ports of Honeycomb out there already, and though there are still some issues to be ironed out, they work pretty well. Since installing a 2.3.4 rom on my vzw tab, I've been very impressed with how responsive and cleanly it runs.
Having handled some of the newer and larger tablets, I've found that the smaller size is really more ideal to me personally. I can fit my Galaxy tablet in my pocket. My folks for example both have iPads, and they are just much larger and bulkier devices. You can't drop one in your pocket real quick while you are out on the run.
Anyway, hope that helps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I live in eastern europe and here the tab's price is almost the same as Transformer's. And that one has Tegra 2 and a nice 10.1' IPS display. They are both here 540 USD / 380 EUR. I tried Iconia A500 Tab, but I was quite disappointed - it was very heavy, typing text while trying to hold with one hand was challenging. The OS and that big display sure looks great, but for now I can't see my self taking this out in the street while walking, or chatting (IM) while sitting in the bus on my way college. How much is the P1000 in the US? Or UK?
esthreel said:
I live in eastern europe and here the tab's price is almost the same as Transformer's. And that one has Tegra 2 and a nice 10.1' IPS display. They are both here 540 USD / 380 EUR. I tried Iconia A500 Tab, but I was quite disappointed - it was very heavy, typing text while trying to hold with one hand was challenging. The OS and that big display sure looks great, but for now I can't see my self taking this out in the street while walking, or chatting (IM) while sitting in the bus on my way college. How much is the P1000 in the US? Or UK?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the UK, the P1000 (if you can find any in stock) still goes for around £399 and the P1010 is currently in bestbuy/currys for £299.
But search on ebay or other sites, you can find one for a lot cheaper. I got mine brand new from ebay for £250 (P1000).
Of course, these will probably fall in price when newer alternatives comes out but for now, they are holding its value as they are still popular and people are buying them.
I just bought one today. So far I am happy with it.
I have seen the US models selling new for between $150-200 when you buy from a mobile provider. For example, I know Verizon was selling them earlier this year for $200 when you agreed to a two year service agreement. I've also seen the WiFi only tablets for $350. Personally, I was willing to sign a contract, because having the 3g data access was something I desired.
But, I would do as one of the other posters suggested, and check ebay. As I understand it, you can buy a US model and put a European firmware on it. I would double check that though, as I don't want to tell you something I am not entirely sure of.
Got mine a month ago in aussie land, on a 12 month contract. 0 dollars for the tab and $39 a month for the plan with 8g of data and I get 3 months of the plan for free. Was really happy with that price.
Got mine in Italy for 300 Eur. Best purchase of the year: perfect balance between pocketability and readability, and with Gingerbread it is lag free and quick.
Rumours are that Samsung is going to present a revamped 7" tablet w/ upgraded cpu and amoled screen. I won't upgrade unless it has usb host or otg, which is the feature I miss much on my Tab.
Ernesto de Bernardis
N900 - Galaxy Tab 7"
Nothing wrong with the P1000. Good support is important. Even if it's a year old it still beats an ipad. Good resolution and speed, and very complete. Very sturdy, durable Gorilla glass.
Sent from my GT-P1000 using Tapatalk
If 7" tablet is your preference, get a HTC Flyer or Huawei Ideos Slim?
Unless u want the voice call/sms capabilities
debernardis said:
Got mine in Italy for 300 Eur. Best purchase of the year: perfect balance between pocketability and readability, and with Gingerbread it is lag free and quick.
Rumours are that Samsung is going to present a revamped 7" tablet w/ upgraded cpu and amoled screen. I won't upgrade unless it has usb host or otg, which is the feature I miss much on my Tab.
Ernesto de Bernardis
N900 - Galaxy Tab 7"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any Samsung official reading this would love to put usb otg and make you upgrade
While for me, I ll try not to upgrade, but the amoled screen might tempt me.
esthreel said:
I'm looking for a Tab, but Transformer seems to big for me. P1000 is the perfect size, but it is pretty old device. Is it still worth buying today?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought mine last month, and I love it. My pocket is not that big to fit in the tab, so I bought a small bag to bring around. I was confused whether buying Galaxy S (for super amoled and small factor) or Galaxy Tab (for bigger screen to read ebooks). Well, its worth buying
I bought one a couple of weeks ago, and am very happy so far. Yes, it's a year old - but the screen is very good (much better than alternative 7" tablets'), it's relatively cheap & there's lots of development going on with it.
The next 7" from Samsung is set to have an AMOLED screen & will probably be dual-core, which will be awesome, but I wanted something now & wasn't prepared to 1) wait & 2) pay much more than I did...
Make sure you root & stick Overcome ROM on it! It becomes a different animal once you do!
Got an Asus Transformer for the home/travel, but day to day chucking in pocket (albeit large pockets), still love the Tab. Got it for 200bucks so can't complain.
If I had to pay full price? I think I'd skip, for that price a newer 7" tablet would still be preferred.
Main thing it comes down to though is where are you, and do you need voice? if so, Tab might still be perfect for you.
It's a good question to ask here, as the answer isn't obvious. Without a tablet, I would, if I had the cash, get the Tab again. It's portability still makes it a winner for me.
Waiting for the next model is ok, but... these things always seem to take 6months longer than initially planned it appears.
Thee galaxy pad still a good tab/phone. its fast, not to big and have a lot of apps/games that works so...
Galaxy tab worth to buy.why?
The best tablet for 7 inch tablet.
Equiped with microsd,simcard for mms,sms,3g and telephone
the best size to carry around even easily beat ipad
Development of Custom rom and stock rom are always up to date
unless samsung release new 7 inch tablet with dual core processor and amoled sceen
then it is not worthy anymore to purchase
When I got the P1000, my standard in speed and responsiveness on android began to change. I began to compare the Qualcomm chipset based androids vs. the Hummingbird of Samsung. The P1000 (and the original Galaxy S Plus which runs the same thing) is really good and even better can match the next gen Qualcomm. See how the original Galaxy S graphics even beats the Galaxy S Plus (newer release), is because of the same speedy setup done before.
The P1000 is a very good device. Really crazy why Samsung shortchanged many unknowing people as they downgraded the P1010 with an inferior chipset and graphics.
Is there already a dual core 7" as good as the P1000? The Dell Streak 7 besides abit more massive has a problem with batt life. Archos I didn't bother to consider. Is there anymore? The Galaxy Tab 8.9 is coming out better (dunno when), but it is not 7". Nothing compares that I know... for now.
I've only had mine for about a week, I bought it second hand for a great price and I love it so far. I use it more than my laptop and my Asus Transformer. I LOVE the size. The 10" tabs you pretty much need to use both hand to hold it all the time, the G.Tab easily in 1. Plus being able to type with both thumbs instead of finger pecking is a HUGE plus.
Yeah, the Galaxy Seven will probably be out in a couple months but if you need one now then it's a great little tab.
I was at the shop today again, played with XOOM and again with Galaxy Tab. Damn its size is just perfect and the screen so detailed and feels high quality. But then I tried to do what I do on My N900 (Maemo 5 OS), and WOW :O IT CAN NOT MULTITASK. I never noticed that! You can not have skype online and browse the web while listening to music. I asked the guy at the shop. He confirmed, just some can "run in the background" but there is no task switcher... Maybe you can make it multitask? On iOS i have backgrounder and Kirikae and it works like a charm, can you do the same on android?
Skype online while browsing the web and listening to music? won't the sound conflict?
Sent from my SK17i using Tapatalk
Hi all. Im considering to buy a touchpad for personal uses. I understand that webOS is rather ok, except for the lack of applications to play around with and thus android is there to save the day. However are there any major bugs in the android alpha builds? The price to me is very reasonable. Another thing that worries me is the internal memory, that is if the 16gb will run out fast? Please, any touchpad users just help me to recommend, that would be great!
Buying HP Touch pad and have ICS on it is worth it. After ICS update on HP Touch pad I have compare Motorola XOOM and HP Touch pad they both look same you will lot and lots of money buying HP Touch pad.
At firesale prices? Yes. Otherwise, why not wait for the next wave of ICS tablets to come out?
Its not really that firesale pirced where i'm from... abour 170USD.. but thats considered affordable still to me. But is it worth getting one? As in would i regret once i bought it?
thunderskain said:
Hi all. Im considering to buy a touchpad for personal uses. I understand that webOS is rather ok, except for the lack of applications to play around with and thus android is there to save the day. However are there any major bugs in the android alpha builds? The price to me is very reasonable. Another thing that worries me is the internal memory, that is if the 16gb will run out fast? Please, any touchpad users just help me to recommend, that would be great!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WebOS is under sung. It has some really cool features, and I'm personally hoping to see it grow and expand in the coming years.
That said, there's also Android. But as skypagers fails to point out...there are still quite a few significant bugs to be worked out in both Gingerbread and ICS builds. Including camera functionality, including chat (in both GB and ICS), video playback, including youtube (in the ICS builds), skype etc etc etc. The sh*t crashes and you might get force-closes and reboots...they're not uncommon at all.
But really it's personal preference. If you've got the scratch, just get a 64GB Transformer Prime with the docking station. If money means nothing, then avoid the HPTP. It's high maintenance, and still everything doesn't work. If you're looking for a badass deal on a great tablet that let's you modify, hack and tweak the f*ck out of it...then the HPTP is for you.
I got 2 32GB's in the 2nd firesale and my wife and I both love them. But my roommate just got his Transformer Prime...let's just say that now, I'm strongly considering selling mine to upgrade to the 700 when it drops in a few months.
I agree with danknee, if you can wait and have the loot. Get something that will be less maintenance. But if you can get a kickass deal, which would put a HPTP in your hands tomorrow...why wait?
I personally like web os better than Android. If you install preware and adjust a few things, the touchpad is rather enjoyable. While there is a lack of apps, if you're plans for the touchpad are mostly web browsing, music, video playback, and an occasional game, you'll have no regrets. And if you get bored or find yourself needing more, there's always android.
BTW, I own 2 32gb touchpads, one dualboots with cm7 and the other cm9. Space has never been an issue either. I have all seasons of archer, ugly Americans, bobs burgers, a half dozen hour long comedy specials, and a few gigs of music. With all that, still have 11gb free. So space hasn't been an issue yet.
sean is here. said:
WebOS is under sung. It has some really cool features, and I'm personally hoping to see it grow and expand in the coming years.
That said, there's also Android. But as skypagers fails to point out...there are still quite a few significant bugs to be worked out in both Gingerbread and ICS builds. Including camera functionality, including chat (in both GB and ICS), video playback, including youtube (in the ICS builds), skype etc etc etc. The sh*t crashes and you might get force-closes and reboots...they're not uncommon at all.
But really it's personal preference. If you've got the scratch, just get a 64GB Transformer Prime with the docking station. If money means nothing, then avoid the HPTP. It's high maintenance, and still everything doesn't work. If you're looking for a badass deal on a great tablet that let's you modify, hack and tweak the f*ck out of it...then the HPTP is for you.
I got 2 32GB's in the 2nd firesale and my wife and I both love them. But my roommate just got his Transformer Prime...let's just say that now, I'm strongly considering selling mine to upgrade to the 700 when it drops in a few months.
I agree with danknee, if you can wait and have the loot. Get something that will be less maintenance. But if you can get a kickass deal, which would put a HPTP in your hands tomorrow...why wait?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the in deph analysis. I have to agree with what you said there. Understand the new ics tablets are a better choice for now but yeah, money wise is an issue so I have to lower my limits. Basically I don't really hve any uses for a tablet but just wanna get one so as to experience the tablet feel and when time to come I'm bored, I could just sell it off. So high priced tablets are a no go for me. Besides, the transformer prime does not seem to be available in my country yet.
Based on everyone replies, I think I could make a better choice now! Thanks guys!
Sent from my HTC Pyramid using xda premium
Consider this: ASUSEee Pad MeMO 370T. For about $250 you get a quad core 7" that comes with ICS. Of course you are going to have to wait to get one like the rest of us until the second quarter of the year. I'm planning on picking one of these bad boy when it comes out.
For what you want to do, no. For learning how to mess around with this stuff, sure. But its not a reliable device for everyday use not yet at least. Wait for the new wave of tablets and get something from a decent company like Asus or Samsung .
Fehnix22 said:
For what you want to do, no. For learning how to mess around with this stuff, sure. But its not a reliable device for everyday use not yet at least. Wait for the new wave of tablets and get something from a decent company like Asus or Samsung .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is good advice. I'd also say that even if you do get your Touchpad running Android as well as the rest of us, there might be some issues that will never go away. I'm not sure there are enough developer resources to fix the spotty WiFi, the sound distortion on sleep, the camera, or the dozens of other little imperfections. It's a device for the hobbyist.
I have most of my music collection on my 16 GB Touchpad and still have a few gigabytes left. It's good enough, although you'd only be able to store half a dozen movies on there at once.
While I think the touchpad is an awesome device and disagree with many of the complaints about CM9 being showstoppers, thought I'd share the Acer Iconia a500 is $299 on woot.com. Today only, while supplies last. 32 GB, 10.1" screen, tegra 2 1GHz dual core, 1GB RAM, microSD slot, running honeycomb. Similar specs to the TouchPad, but was designed for Android.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
Acer Iconia a500 is $299 on woot.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
don't think it worth 130$ more.
IMHO:
If you have low budget and you are not perfectionist - buy touchpad. Yes, it's not perfect, it still have some bugs in 2.3 but they are minor and overall it's working pretty good. And stable enough 4.0 we will probably see in next few months.
Also check 7" formfactor, if you like it then probably better to wait for asus 7" tablet for 250$.
If you have 500-600$ in your pocket that you don't need, wait for updated transformer prime or something like this
getbuzzin said:
Consider this: ASUSEee Pad MeMO 370T. For about $250 you get a quad core 7" that comes with ICS. Of course you are going to have to wait to get one like the rest of us until the second quarter of the year. I'm planning on picking one of these bad boy when it comes out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, heard about that and it sounds too good a bargain too. But does ASUS have good android development around? At least i can see that the touchpad has a ready team of developers right now...
and the $250 is the dual core model..
go for it, not only can u run android but web os and Linux this thing is pretty much the hd2 of tablets, I just picked up mine for 150$ and I'm loving it.
my honest review...
I've never owned an 'official' android tablet. I have 2 touchpads and one nook color. The HP touch pad is a great device. But there are some serious downsides:
1: fit & finish... there's a reason for so many refurbished models. My wife's is hardly used and has a cracked case near the speaker. It has maybe 2 hours of use total. And its been in a case 100% of the time. No explanation HP. None at all. I won't send it back because everything else works.
2: Android is a shoehorn and always will be. The current WIFI and kernel glitch are the only two real downsides to android on the Touch pad. If you use Gtalk w/video chat or Skype also stay away. The front camera isn't working, but it sucks anyways so IMO its not an issue. ICS is the only way to use the touch pad. GB was more stable but ICS is built for tablets and it shows. The kernel being very buggy for OTG is also a annoyance.
3: its a little heavier and a little thicker than the competition. Its noticeable but not really bad. The formfactor is also much different. The Touchpad is square like the iPad and the Xoom, 10.1, Transformer are more rectangular. If you like holding an original iPad then this isn't much different. Don't discount WebOS either. Its a very pretty OS. It has a lot of nice features. I don't use it much but its not awful and useless like some people make it. It is going to find much less use now that ICS brings that killer web browser.
My conclusion.....
The touchpad is still a sweet deal. 170ish for a 10in 1.5ghz 1GB ram 16GB is great. The nook tablet comes close but its more expensive and 7in. When you start getting close to 250 for a 32GB its a little rougher, especially with the deals on woot and stuff. Also compusa has refurb Transformer 16gb for 299 which isn't bad.
Sent From Nexi - The Galaxy Nexus
Hi,
I have been thinking about buying a Android tablet for some time. I don't really need a tablet, but would like to give it a try anyhow. I would probably use it mostly for surfing the web, reading new sites and watching movies when on the train. I might play some games from time to time. I would also like to use it for Skype voice and video chat. I'm also prepared to root the device and flash custom roms for better performance.
At the moment the Galaxy Tab 8.9 (Wifi) is on sale for about $ 220 here in Switzerland. It seems like a good deal for this tablet and within the amound of money I am prepared to spend for something "unnessecary", but would you still buy it given that the hardware is somewhat dated? How well does Skype work?
Any advice is greately appreciated!
Cheers
TiredHornet
To my opinion, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 has a unique form factor and weight (approx 420g), that make it still very desirable to my eyes. The screen is very good. ICS with an alternative launcher like 'Nova' or 'Apex' makes it lovely to use on a daily basis (I don't appreciate the Touchwiz one much).
I learned to live without any sd card expansion slot. I bought a 32gb model to compensate for the lack of memory extension, but finally I don't use the internal storage at all, except of course for apps. If I had to buy it again, I would simply stick with the 16Gb version...
The only complain I have is the outdated Tegra 2 processor, that's why I use to overclock a little bit (1.2Ghz). Works like a charm.
PS: I tested Skype a little bit and seemed good enough to me and to the people at the other end.
Yes, definitely. sgauge points out some great benefits of the 8.9, the form factor is just right. I'm still using 3.2 Overcome Rom also OC'd to 1.2 and really it runs super smooth. I also have the 16gb and that's plenty of space. I bought the usb dongle which can read off a usb stick so no need to carry movies on the tablet itself. It's really replaced my laptop for internet browsing, following live sports streams online and casual emailing. Just an extra aside, but I also invested in the official external keyboard and dock (amazon uk had them at rock bottom prices a few weeks back) and they are classy add-ons making the tablet a real smart package. And with ICS seemingly here, perhaps I'll think of upgrading my rom too!
Update: Skype works great, impressed with video/sound quality and stability!
Hmm, $220 for a 8.9 is practically a steal
It helps to know what you want it for, but I use it on train commute, and a lot of casual browsing on the couch. Basically, I could use my phone for that, but the tablet has more comfort and battery.
I find the 16gb not enough, if you take it on holiday and want some movies. I got the usb reader for $3 dollars shipped from China (ebay), much better value than €30 local shop.
I dislike the weight and size of a 10.1, to the point that I think 8.0 to 8.5 should be ideal size.
Good luck
Thx for all the advice! I think I'm going to go the shop right now and have a look at the tablet. I had it in my hands some month ago and found the size really good. And with the official ICS release starting to roll out, it is probably a even better deal at $220.
I bought it in Ch (living in Constance) and absolutely love it.
Had an Acer Iconia A500 before, the difference in weight and quality is huuuge.
After Installing JB it works like a charm!
If your local M.Electronics is out of stock, you can just place a reservation. I waited for 1 day
In fact, I did just buy a Tab 8.9 -- Cowboom had a bunch of preowned ones for sale. I snagged a Condition 7 (looks brand new, came with all accessories other than headphones) for $170 shipped. I love the size. Every 10" tablet I looked at was too big for comfortable reading, but the 7" tablets just felt...cramped.
Go for it
$220 is a real steal! And with ICS now it will be just awesome!
Idlekilla said:
$220 is a real steal! And with ICS now it will be just awesome!
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Click to collapse
Agreed. Having seen the difference in how my 8.9 ran on Honeycomb and now on ICS, it's like a different tablet! If you can pick up one of these tablets for less than $200 then jump on it.
Next phone or tablet is a nexus for sure
im done with samsung
- Form factor is just perfect.
- the ics runs great so no tensions for some time to come.
- 10.1 is too big, 7 is too small.
- 7.7 is close but too pricey.
Sent from my GT-P7300 using xda premium
My tf101 just broke now using as a Google TV and my tab is galaxy 8.9 and I bought it for $150
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda app-developers app
TiredHornet said:
Thx for all the advice! I think I'm going to go the shop right now and have a look at the tablet. I had it in my hands some month ago and found the size really good. And with the official ICS release starting to roll out, it is probably a even better deal at $220.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have fun with it. I doubt you will regret.
I bought the 8.9 so that when my partner and I went camping we could watch movies that we had, ahem, aquired.
It was perfect for just that reason with the desktop dock and the SD / USB adapters.
Now that we are back from holidays, it's perfect for general surfing and stuff like solving arguments where powering up the PC would take too long to Google something and the phone screen would bee too small / fiddly.
8.9 was the best form facto for my needs and I do not see any need to change to a bigger screen, if I wanted a bigger screen - Netbook / Laptop yet I would have to wait for it to boot up, so, long story short, I love the 8.9 and would definately buy it.
Hope this helps!
I like the form factor, the screen and the build quality seems solid. I hate the proprietary plug in on the bottom. Afraid I'm going to lose the cord and be unable to charge the thing till I get another one from Samsung. It should be the mini USB everyone,minus Apple and Sammy, uses. Charge times are completely ridiculous, taking hours upon hours to get to full but the drain times are pretty good. Hopefull the ICS update fixes charge times, or at least makes it bearable. And no SD card slot sucks, plain and simple. Other than that it's pretty good....
Personally, I love it. I bought mine for about 400 dollars and didn't regret it ever since. For 220$, this is an absolute must. The size is optimal and the overall feel of the tablet is just...perfect. Go for it, champ!
Well I have to say out of all the tablets I have (most samsung ones, asus, nexus7, ipads etc) the galaxy tab 8.9 is probably the best feel for a semi-mobile tablet... However after looking at the samsung support and release cycle across the devices I have, I doubt I will ever buy samsung again tbh. Just an opinion...
I love the hardware, don't like the Samsung software. Waiting for the rom hackers to put the official ICS to use and build a full featured JB rom and then it'll probably beat the Nexus 7 as my favorite device.
Sent from my SPH-D700 (CM9) using xda premium
Looking to buy an 8.9. Anybody know where I can find one in the US?? Thanks
I just bought an 8.9 3G 32Gb for £250, which I think is a real bargain. Vodafone 3G SIM is very fast in my area, and I soon as I can work out how to get an official version of ICS or JB onto it, I will be laughing! 8.9" form factor is ideal for me, and Skype works great... and I find i'm using Skype alot more than I do on my laptop.... it's pretty sweet all around. Go for it! Touchwiz and all the Bloatware suck, so if you work out how to remove them, let me know!
Well I asked this question in the CM10 thread but was told it was best left for the general thread. I am in a position to get my first tablet and have it down to the 8.9 and the nexus 7. I love the hardware on the 8.9, and the screen size is perfect, but it is a little older and I plan on putting CM on it to keep the software up to date and it might not be able to keep up much longer. I like the Nexus 7's hardware but I have a feeling it'll be just a little too small for any sort of productivity (mostly taking notes) and I have never been a fan of the 7 inch form factor. So I ask you 8.9 owners, how does CM10 run on it and how do you think it'll fare in the future? Would you recommend it still as a purchase? Thanks in advance.
Brettbesa said:
Well I asked this question in the CM10 thread but was told it was best left for the general thread. I am in a position to get my first tablet and have it down to the 8.9 and the nexus 7. I love the hardware on the 8.9, and the screen size is perfect, but it is a little older and I plan on putting CM on it to keep the software up to date and it might not be able to keep up much longer. I like the Nexus 7's hardware but I have a feeling it'll be just a little too small for any sort of productivity (mostly taking notes) and I have never been a fan of the 7 inch form factor. So I ask you 8.9 owners, how does CM10 run on it and how do you think it'll fare in the future? Would you recommend it still as a purchase? Thanks in advance.
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If you can get it cheap it is still a very good tablet but I wouldn't recommend paying full price for it now as the hardware is a bit outdated. I'm personally aiming for a nexus 10 or 7 because of the high res screen is just too tempting!
There can unfortunately be very few guarantees made about future developments. The dev community on 8.9 is small, and any time one of the remaining devs decide to buy a new tablet, support for cm ROMs may disappear without notice...
Or it may be continued by new devs who currently are happy to watch and learn.
The good thing is the similarity to 10.1 tablet, so the 8.9 devs can inherit a lot direct from 10.1 devs.
It is still a very able, good size and weight tablet for mobility, and for a good price, I'd pick it up again. Personally I'd like a 8.0 to 8.4 inch, max weight 300g... For even more comfortable reading. But everyone differs...
Its your first tablet, so I'd be going for future updates. The n7 and n10 are great choices for you first tablet.
My first tablet was the OG Xoom. Then I got a flyer and hated the small screen. I was glad I don't sell the Xoom, as it is great, but still needed something a bit more portable, so I picked up a used i957 for 200 and really haven't touched the Xoom since.
Not that the gtab is better, but I needed something bigger than the note I had, but smaller than my Xoom, plus the cellular connectivity my note had.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I957 using XDA Premium HD app
Ps. It struggles with high bitrate, fast motion x264 video... My own encodes (720p -crf22 -ref5) run fine...
Brettbesa said:
Well I asked this question in the CM10 thread but was told it was best left for the general thread. I am in a position to get my first tablet and have it down to the 8.9 and the nexus 7. I love the hardware on the 8.9, and the screen size is perfect, but it is a little older and I plan on putting CM on it to keep the software up to date and it might not be able to keep up much longer. I like the Nexus 7's hardware but I have a feeling it'll be just a little too small for any sort of productivity (mostly taking notes) and I have never been a fan of the 7 inch form factor. So I ask you 8.9 owners, how does CM10 run on it and how do you think it'll fare in the future? Would you recommend it still as a purchase? Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 8.9's are closing to a phase-out. I think. CM10 works like a charm on the 8.9, if you're not after face unlock. And I hear there's a school in SE Asia that uses 8.9s as ebooks. So maybe it's a sign that it's good.
you can always check out the nook HD+. they've rooted (temp root) it and found the bootloader unlocked so development should be starting up soon. as to whether i like it better than the sammy, hell no!
as it is its running b&n's launcher and the tablet is laggy as hell. scrolling netflix queues is as slow, choppy and unresponsive as my tf700's were. the sammy is better, but not as good as the galaxy note 10.1.
i'm still on the fence on whether to keep it or not. CM may bring out some better performance, but right now it's just a high res book reader (which it's market to be - and a pretty good one at that.) since i'm a silver rz member i have 45 days to make up my mind.
Just bought an 8.9 from Amazon - very pleased
HI - I just bought a 3G Galaxy Tab 8.9 from Amazon.co.uk - for £250...it was a refurbished one, but is in mint condition. I love it. Need to work out how to root it and get rid of the Samsung Apps - but once I've done that I will be set. I was also going to go for the Nexus 7, but found that when using the keyboard in landscape mode - the keyboard takes up half the screen. I'm sure I would have enjoyed it, but I have no regrets on the 8.9 - for me it is the ideal size screen... speakers on the 8.9 are surprisingly good too. Go for it!
i just picked up a used one with a nice leather case for $220. Boss is going to pay for the data plan, so I'm all set.