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How does a $250 Asus Transformer compare to the Nook Tablet?

I'm a very happy owner of a rooted NC and have been following the progress of the Nook Tablet, planning to get one when the cm team puts out a rom for it.
Today I see that the Asus Transformer will be $250 at Best Buy for Black Friday.
I haven't been following the Transformer so I'm not very familiar with it. A quick look at the cm and xda forums doesn't seem to show any roms for this device so that is a concern.
Is this tablet a better buy than the Nook Tablet for the same price? Note I'm talking about a NT with cm on it, not a base device.
Would it be worth the hassle of dealing with Black Friday at Best Buy?

@ $250 get the Transformer if you can, you get HDMI out, Camera and GPS, just to name a few of the advantages.

The Transformer it's a top notch tablet.
It is bigger, faster, fully capable tablet.
Honeycomb feels elegant and sophisticated compared to CM7.
I bought the keyboard dock and spend about 50/50 with and without the keyboard.
The Nook has size advantage when it comes to taking it anywhere in my purse but I love both equally.
Battery life is excellent. I got mine for $300 but I am glad I won't be standing in line to get one for $250
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

gadzooks64 said:
The Transformer it's a top notch tablet.
It is bigger, faster, fully capable tablet.
Honeycomb feels elegant and sophisticated compared to CM7.
I bought the keyboard dock and spend about 50/50 with and without the keyboard.
The Nook has size advantage when it comes to taking it anywhere in my purse but I love both equally.
Battery life is excellent. I got mine for $300 but I am glad I won't be standing in line to get one for $250
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
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Good luck trying to root the Transformer!

docfreed said:
Good luck trying to root the Transformer!
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I realize I wouldn't be rooting the transformer. Just wondering how the two devices would compare. Thanks for all the input so far.
Would the transformer be in line for an ICS upgrade?
Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk

docfreed said:
Good luck trying to root the Transformer!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What? There is root/recovery/ROMs out for the device.

Transformer is lightning fast compared to the Nook. I have both including the dock and I have stopped using my Nook except for reading. Just a way better experience.

The TF (Tegra 2) is about on par with the Nook Tablet (OMAP 4430) for general computing, but is much worse than the NT for video playback.
The TF has HDMI out, but has no USB port. To get USB, you need to buy the dock, which I understand is $100. The dock does add a keyboard along with an extended battery, but it also adds weight. Effectively, with the dock, the TF will be an underpowered $350 netbook with detachable screen. The hybrid setup tends to be a love-hate situation. I myself prefer use of a BT keyboard that can be used for any tablet.
The TF has an IPS screen, but build quality is somewhat iffy, with speakers going out and various other ailments. Per freq of problem reports in the various Tegra 2 tabs' forums, it's about on par with the Acer Iconia, and less reliable than the Xoom or the Samsung GT.
As of this moment, the latest TF B70 stepping is still unrootable, ever since Asus changed its SBK (secure boot key). I wouldn't count on rooting the TF, since the issue has been around since August.
The TF will likely get official ICS upgrade some time early 2012.
IMO, it depends on your use. If you want an integrated keyboard, then the TF ($350 w/ keyboard) is better. It also has a larger screen, which is better for certain uses and certain people, eg older users.
I don't think it's a "better-worse" decision, since the TF and NT are different enough with little overlap. BTW, the TF has been periodically on sale at $300 for a while, so basically you'll be doing the fight-the-stampede deal for $50.

$250 is a pretty good price. If I wasn't going to get the tf prime I would pick one up.
You might be able to get it on cyber Monday online and not have to deal with the crazy people at black Friday sales.

docfreed said:
Good luck trying to root the Transformer!
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Click to collapse
I had no intentions of rooting the Transformer - it is great without it.
ASUS has already announced that they would be upgrading the Transformers to Ice Cream Sandwich.
I haven't had any issues with video but I don't intend to stream video to my TV; I have a Roku, a Sony Media Player and an LG Bluray all with wifi so I can stream from those.
IMO I think the ASUS Transformer is one of the best tablets out there and worth the $250 or $300 it costs.
Edit: ASUS has really impressed me with their willingness to issue OS updates for this device. I don't think any phones or other tablets have gotten as much love from the manufacturer.

Will they keep up with the updates now that the prime is coming out?

That is a great price. I have the NC and the TF. The TF is a full tablet running Honeycomb. Even without rooting it is a great experience. Much better than the CM7.1 on the NC. FWIW, Asus has provided great support on the TF. They just updated the firmware on Thursday. Some post have said that ICS is coming to the TF in January.

If comparing both as tablets then; the Transformer wins because it is usable as a HC tablet out-of-the-box with official G Market support plus the pending upgrade to ICS.
The NT will require aftermarket hacking and OSes to run as a tablet.
It will of course enjoy great developer support (here & elsewhere) assuming the 'SD card-boots-first' holds true to make it easier. I doubt if we see anything beyond Gingerbread on the NT.
However, dealing with the lines of people on frigid mornings outside BB is not worth it (IMO). It seems every year the lines keep getting longer and longer with people coming in at 9:00 p.m. the previous night. Just not worth it anymore.
I would rather get the NT for $250 and mess with it.
On a side note: I am excited about the NT since it comes with a dual-core, more ram and storage and a mic. I have 3 year extended coverage with ADH handling from ST. Hope my NC breaks down in the next 12 months; might get the NT as replacement....he he.

I thought about it, and after finding out the closest best buy is almost 2 hours away, I just said nah.
Plus, I'm dying to see if I can get the NT as a replacement in case something "terrible" were to happen to my NC lol.

Are you all happy with your Streak?

I just saw that Bestbuy will be selling the Dell Streak 7" with Honeycomb installed for $160. I saw this right after I finally decided to go ahead and buy a Kindle Fire. Now it seems almost like a no brainer to get a near full featured tablet with the same size screen as a Kindle Fire but for $40 less, but it also seems too good to be true.
So I wanted to know, are you all happy with your Streak? Would you say that $160 is worth it.
I really appreciate any input.
Thanks.

I felt in love with Dell Streak 7 already, too bad that I bought this for my gf, and giving it to her tomorrow. Dell Streak 7 is a good tablet, of coz the resolution is not high so it doesn't let you play all the HD games and you don't have much RAM to play heavy games, but if you use it for entertainment, relax with no "tough" game then it is better Kindle Fire. And of coz this is just my opinion. To be frank, I don't play much with my Iconia A500 since I got this

Very much so! I love this little bad boy underdog.

I am happy with mine. I wish the screen had a little better resolution. Bluetooth tethering to my phone is a snap. I basically wanted something that was like my phone but larger and it works just perfect as that. Its much easier and faster to use than having to drag out my laptop.

I initially liked my DS7 but over time it began to annoy me. The screen began to make my eyes hurt when reading and the battery would run down quickly. I ended up getting several Nook Tablets for the family and for my purposes, I'm more satisfied. The NT screen is much sharper and the battery lasts hours longer than the DS. I only used the camera once and never used the GPS so the trade is worth it since I mainly use my tabs for reading, surfing and light game play. I did initially miss the variety of apps but someone came up witha workaround and now I can sideload with apps free sites and Amazon app store.

I like my Dell Streak 7, the 7 inch size and weight is much more handy then my 10.1 inch tablet in its portfolio case. Basicly the compact handling of a phone with a readable (as opposed to squintable) screen size. Screen resolution has not been a problem infact it is a nice match to Netflix.
The short 4-5 hour battery life is the only aspect I wish was better.

rockhunter said:
The short 4-5 hour battery life is the only aspect I wish was better.
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Is that for a mix of usage or for straight video watching?
With my rooted DS7, using SetCPU and setting up custom profiles, I tend to see about 4-5 for watching vidoes, but get about 6-10 hours for playing games, and a 4 day standby time.

The battery isn't a major issue for me. Not a fan of the stock launcher though. Really want to use LauncherPro, but it keeps fc'ing. Anyone have any suggestions on other LauncherPro like launchers?
Also for some reason, I can't listen to voicemails with Google Voice. Still got to figure that one out.

Device does not support WiFi channels 12-14, makes a noise when speakers are enabled, batery life is not so good, WiFi signal is worse than other tabletst, display is very bad (angle/resolution), also the device is clumby (fat and heavy)
BUT
it is very cheap and very fast. im fine with it so far, but i might switch to another device.

got one form BEST BUY. still on the way.!!!! but I'm Sure the screen not the BEST!

so far so good only one problem it is not reading from SD Card.

JohnnyDanger said:
I just saw that Bestbuy will be selling the Dell Streak 7" with Honeycomb installed for $160. I saw this right after I finally decided to go ahead and buy a Kindle Fire. Now it seems almost like a no brainer to get a near full featured tablet with the same size screen as a Kindle Fire but for $40 less, but it also seems too good to be true.
So I wanted to know, are you all happy with your Streak? Would you say that $160 is worth it.
I really appreciate any input.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No I am not. And Don't buy a streak 7 given so many much better choices out there in the market.
My DS7 was a total disaster now I see it. It was my first tablet and I was inexperience to make an informed buy. I bought from TMO store on the release date and then found that no Dev is supporting it.
Eventually I participated a donation led by someone else and we send a device to DJ Steve who became the one and only dedicated dev on DS7, who are also working on many other devices at the same time.
Screen horrible, battery horrible, TMobile 4 G signal always break down for no reason and requite a reboot to get it back. GPS NEVER works well for a trip without a hiccup. This is my third DS7 already because I exchanged the previous 2 with Dell because all sorts of reasons.
Since you are asking advise I assume you won't want to listen to holiday choirs and holy praises. I am the bad guy who is critical.
Bottom line, DONT BUY A DISCONTINUED PRODUCT WITHOUT DEV SUPPORT.

I'm thinking about what 7-inch tablet i'll going to buy: Dell Streak 7 or Lenovo A1.
Sent from my MB520 using XDA App

jiwengang said:
No I am not. And Don't buy a streak 7 given so many much better choices out there in the market.
My DS7 was a total disaster now I see it. It was my first tablet and I was inexperience to make an informed buy. I bought from TMO store on the release date and then found that no Dev is supporting it.
Eventually I participated a donation led by someone else and we send a device to DJ Steve who became the one and only dedicated dev on DS7, who are also working on many other devices at the same time.
Screen horrible, battery horrible, TMobile 4 G signal always break down for no reason and requite a reboot to get it back. GPS NEVER works well for a trip without a hiccup. This is my third DS7 already because I exchanged the previous 2 with Dell because all sorts of reasons.
Since you are asking advise I assume you won't want to listen to holiday choirs and holy praises. I am the bad guy who is critical.
Bottom line, DONT BUY A DISCONTINUED PRODUCT WITHOUT DEV SUPPORT.
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Click to collapse
What other products are there? Currently it's the cheapest (mid/high end) 7" tablet available, it's main competetors are the gtab7/+ which is either lower specced or more expensive. It was just sold for $160 on black friday new and can be found pretty easily for
~$250 on ebay in good condition.
Sub $200 tabs cant compete with it as they have very low end internals.
The S7 with Froyo and the s7 with Honeycomb are completely different devices (not literally, but the way it works)
I didnt buy mine until black friday as I so no point with froyo on it, but it's pretty great with HC.
As for the 4g, I honestly dont see the point of a 4g tablet, I have the wifi one and simply tether to my S5 (and also avoid paying a 2nd line just for data)
The GPS is rather weak on it, but in my case the wifi one is likely worse at wifi then the 4g one. It works with some hiccups.
So what if it'd discontinued, even if dell did support it for another 6 more months, the most we'd get is like 3.2 -> 3.2.2/3.2.4, there's no chance it'd get updated to ICS.
You have your warrentee, they're not gonna magically/instantly null it, they're still gonna support active warrentee owners until they all expire. (it might become them only offering refurbs but this is still support)
Bottom line: for $190-240 there's really little competition, it's either the S7 or the gtabs.
The Gtab 7 is slower but about the same price
The Gtab 7+ is faster but more expensive
The Lenovo A1 is slower but about the same price

How about nook tablet or kindle fire? Since people here enjoy custom rom anyway, os on these two won't be a problem I guess
Sent from my DROID RAZR using XDA App

Hmm that is a good point, I had forgotten about those.
Depending on how you look at it, they only run GB and not HC/ICS.
If you wanna use it as a normal android tablet, they're not currently ready for that purpose as they dont have any stable roms yet.
I do believe the kindle is slower, but it'd definitely got more devs, and when CM9 hits stable it might be a pretty good choice. It's tegra 2 vs CM9 for the same price point.
I cant say much about the nooks, the old nook is much slower but cheaper and will likely get CM9 (it already has CM7), I dont read much at all about the new nook except I expect it to also get CM9 eventually.
I assume the S7 will still be the fastest of all 7" tabs except vs the gtab7+.
The nooks and kindles are advertised as ereaders, with the kindle as kina ereader+multimedia. They're not advertised as full on tablets so they can be underpowered for their age.

jiwengang said:
No I am not. And Don't buy a streak 7 given so many much better choices out there in the market.
same here. i get more and more unhappy every day. multitouch works only to up to two fingers. you are right about gps, i tested it and got only 2 satelites in 2 minutes while standing in the garden.
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alex2308 said:
same here. i get more and more unhappy every day. multitouch works only to up to two fingers. you are right about gps, i tested it and got only 2 satelites in 2 minutes while standing in the garden.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a fix for that
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1085354
I lock on in 30 seconds.

I guess I look at it as being the best $160 tablet I've ever owned. The only issue is the battery life, but I can charge it twice a day for the hundreds I'm saving over comparable devices.
The screen sure does take a lot of flack on the Streak 7, but if you look for the silver lining, just about every app works at that resolution. You don't have some of the scaling issues that higher resolution tabs have.
I also hear a lot of comparisons to the Fire and the Nook...and, if they get root and a good custom ROM, then they might be better for "basic" tablet functions, but if you want full tablet functions out of the box, with all the cameras, mics, GPS, etc...then the Streak is still a better option.
Ah well, this forum is pretty much dead, so I'm sure this will fall on deaf ears (or blind eyes?).
I'm happy though!

ExploreMN said:
I guess I look at it as being the best $160 tablet I've ever owned. The only issue is the battery life, but I can charge it twice a day for the hundreds I'm saving over comparable devices.
Ah well, this forum is pretty much dead, so I'm sure this will fall on deaf ears (or blind eyes?).
I'm happy though!
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Click to collapse
I bought a Dell Streak 7" last week that was a couple of months old for $150. It came with Froyo but I upgraded to Honeycomb and it's like having a different tablet, really nice for what it is.
It's not an iPad2, Asus Transformer, Xoom, Acer etc. I looked at all of those tablets two days ago and the screens on them are very much nicer, but...they cost $300-$400-900+, not $150. The Streak is a real tablet not one of those $100 unknown brand Android tablet gadgets that last a week. The wifi and GPS work great along with having Honeycomb now I really like it.
I owned an iPad2 for 4 months and it is a fantastic device, it also cost me $1000 for wifi/3G and a Smart Cover. I've had the Evo4G since Aug. of '10 and love Android so in the future I'm thinking about the Asus Transformer that's coming out later this month. It will cost 2 to 3 times as much as the Streak, it will have a beautiful screen, and be worth the extra money no doubt.
I use the Streak for Flying and it is outstanding for various Aviation moving map programs. For $150 instead of $1400-2500 for a Garmin GPS aviation unit it is a bargain.
So you're not alone, the Dell Streak 7 does what it's supposed to for a reasonable price, and I like it too.
DC

Would you still buy the Galaxy Tab 8.9?

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!
Click to expand...
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!

Touchpad still a good buy?

I'm looking for an on-the-cheap 9.7 - 10.1 tablet. I was looking at a variety of options, like the Le Pan II, but I've seen a couple Touchpad's floating around $100-$150, so this is certainly a viable option.
But do you guys think this is still a good buy?

Yes! I've updated to jellybean and it's running great, as snappy as my girlfriends nexus 7
Sent from my cm_tenderloin using Tapatalk 2

tjw345 said:
I'm looking for an on-the-cheap 9.7 - 10.1 tablet. I was looking at a variety of options, like the Le Pan II, but I've seen a couple Touchpad's floating around $100-$150, so this is certainly a viable option.
But do you guys think this is still a good buy?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use phonearena.com to compare specs when I'm shopping for stuff like this... it isn't the end all be all, but it gives you a general idea.
I personally think a Touchpad for 100ish is still a great bargain.

It really depends on your use case. The TP is great, and for someone who is used to Android it's wonderful. A week ago I would have recommended it without hesitation. But I helped a friend who is MUCH more tech-savvy than myself install Android on a TP yesterday. I realized that just maintaining the thing is significantly more complicated than I, someone who has gotten used to TP Android's little quirks like it's second nature, realize.
TLDR; if you like tweaking and such, the TP is great; if you want it to just work, get something meant for Android.

Orphaned TP's a good deal?
bananagranola said:
It really depends on your use case. The TP is great, and for someone who is used to Android it's wonderful. A week ago I would have recommended it without hesitation. But I helped a friend who is MUCH more tech-savvy than myself install Android on a TP yesterday. I realized that just maintaining the thing is significantly more complicated than I, someone who has gotten used to TP Android's little quirks like it's second nature, realize.
TLDR; if you like tweaking and such, the TP is great; if you want it to just work, get something meant for Android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What other year and a half old 10 inch tablet is still selling for its original, (discounted), price? What other ... is still being updated to the latest and greatest Android? There must be something to these orphaned tablets besides a perverse sense of humour in the geek community. PS - my family has three. I would recomend the 32GB models and check for no cracks in the plastic around the speakers. Craigs List is your friend.

At $100 even at $150 its a great buy. Given the ugly 100 tablets that off brand companies are releasing. I think hardware wise the touch pad is better than the Kindle fire. Some one correct me on that if I'm wrong.
Posted from my Verizon Employee Edition DROID DNA #01749.

Bought mine for $150 with 2 cases, charger, fancy wireless charger and sweet Pelican case for $150 and I am happy. Would I be more happy with a rear 5-8 megapixel camera, SIM card slot and GPS? Sure. But my phone works just as well for that.

I spent $75 for mine(because of a bad charger), picked up the charger, case and TouchStone for a extra $50, and have JB running. It runs fantastic! Only issues I don't care for, No ext SD, GPS and the DPI for the TP is a bit low, so the display is not as good as some of the newer devices. But for the money, you cant get better(IMO)

I have one with the latest CM9 release directly from CM. It runs perfectly. Video is blazing fast and looks great (e.g. Youtube app). The low priced tablets out there are garbage. This is fast, runs CM perfectly, and is a bargain. I think the screen looks better than my Nexus 7.

I've got two, a 16GB with Jellybean I've been using for over a year and a new 32GB still with plastic one, good little tablets.

Yes! I'm so tempted to purchase another from Craigslist. Its so cheap!
[Nik's $3, Odexed Blue 2.0, XDA Premium]

I miss my tp. Got it new for 150 enjoyed it till this summer and sold it for 200$ had ics on it at the time.. Ran supper smoothly.. Found it very easy to upgrade..
Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk 2

I think the touchpad is still a very good option. Big screen, cheap, and the hardware isn't so out of date yet. I'll probably be using mine for many years to come. Did I mention cheap?
sent from a secret underground bunker

I was lucky to buy mine during the original $99 firesale. And I was pretty happy with it when it was webOS only (only gripe was the lack of apps) especially back when they offered free apps in their monthly newsletter emailed out. And I have been even happier with it having gone through the transition through different Android ROMs (initially the CM9 nightlies, then RandonROM Falcon 1.2, then SGA's Fat 'n Creamy CM9 and now OaT's Light 'n Tasty Jelly Bean) that have been stable, fast, and added the extensive Android app market. Dual-booting between webOS and Android added unique capabilities that even iPad users didn't ave, and finally with the latest CM9 and new CM10 ROMs the working cameras completed the Android experience on TouchPads.
That all said... I don't know if I would always recommend going the TouchPad route to others. I'd only recommend it with a caveat... that you are somewhat comfortable working on computers and able to follow directions, at the risk of bricking your investment. I am not the most technically savvy person, but I am somewhat comfortable with computers and I do have the ability to follow directions and stay calm when something out of the ordinary happens. And... I am very comfortable asking questions and asking for help. I have rooted my cellphone as well (invoking a bit more risk... since if I brick the tablet I am out $100, the phone costs more to replace plus I lose cellphone access for a while). In fact, some times I actually enjoy the process (uh oh... am I becoming a "flashaholic?" :laugh: ).
If you aren't (comfortable with computers, able to follow directions, willing to ask questions and get help)... I'd suggest spending a bit more (eg $200) and getting the Nexus7, or a sale on a current name brand Android tablet, or a IPad Mini. That way you get a currently supported product and still have all the positives without risk. My wife has an old Apple tablet and it simply works (and works simply). My daughters can help her if she needs to download an app, or figure out how to reset something. She doesn't have to search through different web sites, bulletin boards, and exchanges postings to get info, answers, or help. She doesn't have to reboot, reflash ROMs or Nandroids, or download app tools to resolve issues. Sure, there are things she can't do... but most of the time, she gives me a look and asks "Why would I want to do that anyway?".
Sorry if this was a babble... but I sometimes take the different view... hopefully it helps.

Just pickup a second one 32G Mint condition for my Mom $125 4 hours ago. It's still a great buy for a cheap tablet. I picked up from a daddy selling for his lil girl to exchange the Ipad Mini, there is no Android on it and like brand new, no cracked around speakers. Just put in CM9 Nightlife and running so smooth.

in my opinion, if you know how to update and maintain your Hp touchpad, it's a great bargain. Otherwise, you will be stuck at some points. I'm a read and follow person, I read and do carefully what the instructions tell me to do so all of my android devices are great , thanks to XDA

For $100-150,touchpad is the best choice for tablet.
But you really need to spend time on it. Search, post, download , flash...you have to send quite some time on it and may also encounter issues. But it is smooth , elegant, and full of support from best developers in the world!
Thanks to all developers , you make life with touchpad different!
Sent from my cm_tenderloin using xda app-developers app

Still a great buy no doubt about it! I just picked up a 32gb one about a week ago for $150 and I'm extremely happy with it, running really smooth on CM10 JB 4.1.2 plus having a blast with the tablet remote app!
As long as you know how to flash go for it.... :good:
Thanks to all the developers hard work we can all enjoy what they do (greatly appreciated).
Sent from my cm_tenderloin using xda-developers app

I was thinking of geting my wife a nexus 7. i know she would love a bigger screen. but with that said do the cm9 cm10 roms have any big issues. she uses it to play alot of games check facebook surf the web. she definately needs something that runs fast and smooth. We have had dual core phones and have used single core 1ghz tablets. The single core is fine for our kids but they just seem slow loading to us. Would i have this problem with touchpad

affiatic said:
I was thinking of geting my wife a nexus 7. i know she would love a bigger screen. but with that said do the cm9 cm10 roms have any big issues. she uses it to play alot of games check facebook surf the web. she definately needs something that runs fast and smooth. We have had dual core phones and have used single core 1ghz tablets. The single core is fine for our kids but they just seem slow loading to us. Would i have this problem with touchpad
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never tried CM9 but running CM10 and have no complaints streaming movies, music, games and web experience it's all smooth as butter!

Touchpad vs chinese tablets

I'm thinking of buying a cheap tablet for my parents and cannot figure out if I should keep the TP or switch to a new chinese quad-core tablet or buy another TP.
What I don't like about the TP is that it is getting slow, especially when browsing but even simple things like app menu. I'm on OAT LNT 1222 (4.1.2) so it should be the fastest one around, no overclocking. The case is also starting to crack, I only get about 16h of standby with WiFi on, no GPS (not that I use it) and no HDMI. A bit heavy as well compared to the newer tablets. A nice plus though is the IPS screen and generally good responsiveness on the touchscreen.
I've seen some offers for quad core chinese tablets at around 170-200$ (dx) but the last ones I've seen a year ago were really terrible: crap screen, crap touch, battery life around 3-4h and very laggy. Not to mention the form factor of a brick with fullsize ethernet and usb. Generally not updateable from GB, but that was more than one year ago.
Or maybe I should jump straight to N7? That's already a bit more expensive and I'm pretty happy with the TP. My parents also don't need any other feature than basic browsing and gallery.

If the N7 size is acceptable, have you looked at the HP Slate 7? $170 from HP's website.
Sent from my cm_tenderloin using Xparent Green Tapatalk 2

For basic browsing and gallery, I would definitely stick with the TP. It does those things fine, so given your use case, I personally would think going out and buying something else unnecessary. However, if they plan on doing more with it, I would say N7. It is a little bit more money, but after some poor experiences with Chinese hardware in general I wouldn't buy a Chinese tablet. The $50 differential isn't worth the drop in build quality for me.

brainwash123 said:
I'm thinking of buying a cheap tablet for my parents and cannot figure out if I should keep the TP or switch to a new chinese quad-core tablet or buy another TP.
What I don't like about the TP is that it is getting slow, especially when browsing but even simple things like app menu. I'm on OAT LNT 1222 (4.1.2) so it should be the fastest one around, no overclocking. The case is also starting to crack, I only get about 16h of standby with WiFi on, no GPS (not that I use it) and no HDMI. A bit heavy as well compared to the newer tablets. A nice plus though is the IPS screen and generally good responsiveness on the touchscreen.
I've seen some offers for quad core chinese tablets at around 170-200$ (dx) but the last ones I've seen a year ago were really terrible: crap screen, crap touch, battery life around 3-4h and very laggy. Not to mention the form factor of a brick with fullsize ethernet and usb. Generally not updateable from GB, but that was more than one year ago.
Or maybe I should jump straight to N7? That's already a bit more expensive and I'm pretty happy with the TP. My parents also don't need any other feature than basic browsing and gallery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like the tp, if only for the dual booting, webos & android.
AFAIK, the tp doesn't have the hardware for either gps or hdmi.

would also stay away from No Name China Models, yes they are cheaper & seem to have more features yet there is always something that doesn't work properly on these Tablets...go over to 'Tablet Republic' and check out reviews on some of these newer & older models and you will see....just from my short experience with two of these Chinese models i will never go that route again...plus returning one of these if there is a problem is a nightmare.
Personally i would suggest HP of-course & then Asus/ Acer or Samsung.

If it just for your parents I would suggest iPad Mini ( around $300 Now ) in stead of TP. Because what they need is easy to use and a great experience.I think iPad Mini is competent for this. Not suggest TP which is used for "playing" as a toy not just for browsing or reading, right
Just stay away from No Name China Models like sando7 said. Even lots of Chinese would not pay money for that.

brainwash123 said:
I'm thinking of buying a cheap tablet for my parents and cannot figure out if I should keep the TP or switch to a new chinese quad-core tablet or buy another TP.
What I don't like about the TP is that it is getting slow, especially when browsing but even simple things like app menu. I'm on OAT LNT 1222 (4.1.2) so it should be the fastest one around, no overclocking. The case is also starting to crack, I only get about 16h of standby with WiFi on, no GPS (not that I use it) and no HDMI. A bit heavy as well compared to the newer tablets. A nice plus though is the IPS screen and generally good responsiveness on the touchscreen.
I've seen some offers for quad core chinese tablets at around 170-200$ (dx) but the last ones I've seen a year ago were really terrible: crap screen, crap touch, battery life around 3-4h and very laggy. Not to mention the form factor of a brick with fullsize ethernet and usb. Generally not updateable from GB, but that was more than one year ago.
Or maybe I should jump straight to N7? That's already a bit more expensive and I'm pretty happy with the TP. My parents also don't need any other feature than basic browsing and gallery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you figure that OAT LNT 1222 should be the fastest ROM for the TouchPad? Maybe you should try a different ROM. Or start from scratch and re-flash the ROM. That could clean some stuff up. As for a tablet for your parents, like others have said, dont buy a chinese tablet. You wont find much, if any, support for them around here. Probably no ROMs or anything. If you hold out longer, it is rumored that the nexus 7 will drop in price this summer. Probably after Google I/O next week.
http://bgr.com/2013/04/03/nexus-77-release-date-reuters-411955/

Here is the Onda V972 and Antutu benchmark. This is based on the current best chipset that the Chinese tablets seem to utilize (A31).
If you like the iPad mini this is also a good option. Onda V813 and the Antutu benchmark
Onda is the same company that makes Archos and is trying very hard to become a reputable brand (at least among the cheap tabs )
Unfortunately the ROM's are not very well optimized and cause lag and some issues. The foremost example would be poor WiFi performance. The Onda models do not have Bluetooth, and the sound quality is frequently reported to be poor (quiet and crackles).
I intend to get one for testing in the near future, I've never had a Chinese tab before.

a new N7 will probably be announced next week

Basic internet peddling and a few basic games and emails... HP Touchpad all the way.
Sent from my i9300 using Tapatalk 2

Current CM9 (latest nightly) and CM10 ( http://goo.im/devs/jcsullins/cmtouc...L-tenderloin-FOR_LIMITED_TESTING_ONLY_CAM.zip ) have MUCH improved standby time.
I'd suggest doing a fresh install of CM10 from the link above ( see http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2147284 ) and see
how well it works.

Switch to cyanogenmod immediately! I'm on official 9 nightlys and it's awesome. Don't waste your money.
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app

Chinese Tablets
Iv'e used the TP for quite a long time. I also checked some of the Chinese tablets and bought one (NOVO 7 VENUS).
After i got that, i did not even feel like touching the TP.
Its Quad Core, 1GB DDR3 RAM, 1280x800 IPS screen with ALPS touch control.
Its for 135 bucks.
For that price, this is a must have. Dont buy another TP. Buy this.

Jus2ruff said:
Iv'e used the TP for quite a long time. I also checked some of the Chinese tablets and bought one (NOVO 7 VENUS).
After i got that, i did not even feel like touching the TP.
Its Quad Core, 1GB DDR3 RAM, 1280x800 IPS screen with ALPS touch control.
Its for 135 bucks.
For that price, this is a must have. Dont buy another TP. Buy this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my Touchpad using xda app-developers app
What a terrible suggestion! Ainol make terrible tablets, they have no communities and lack cyanogenmod support (unless you use plenty of patches to get the A10 chip working with it) they're too much hassle, feel very cheap, and preform terribly.
HPTP > anything from Ainol

If there is any chinese tablet I would recommend to you, it would be the Hyundai T7. Its has a quad core Samsung exynos processor!
at 1280*800 IPS Screen, a front 0.3mp camera, and a rear 2mp camera. It supports USB OTG. It also out preforms the Nexus 7 in benchmarks. Its only $148.49!
http://www.pandawill.com/hyundai-t7-quad-core-tablet-pc.html

GizModio said:
Sent from my Touchpad using xda app-developers app
What a terrible suggestion! Ainol make terrible tablets, they have no communities and lack cyanogenmod support (unless you use plenty of patches to get the A10 chip working with it) they're too much hassle, feel very cheap, and preform terribly.
HPTP > anything from Ainol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you ever checked the Slatedroid forum? Stop talking crap.
Ainol's tablets are one of the best for the price.
If I wanted to buy a 10 inch tablet, I would buy Cube U30GT2. It has quad-core CPU, 2 gigs of memory, high-PPI display, huge battery, cameras, etc, etc, etc. TP is good, but it's outdated.

I've actually been debating this for a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time. Because it is this disdain for 4:3 Android tablets (lol), I've either been looking at Chinese tablets or an iPad. The Chinese tablet that has my eye right now is the Freelander PD800HD, with the high res 9.7" screen, Exynos 5250, 2GB RAM, and 16GB storage. I love my TP but right now, it will either be that or an iPad.

nitrobg said:
Have you ever checked the Slatedroid forum? Stop talking crap.
Ainol's tablets are one of the best for the price.
If I wanted to buy a 10 inch tablet, I would buy Cube U30GT2. It has quad-core CPU, 2 gigs of memory, high-PPI display, huge battery, cameras, etc, etc, etc. TP is good, but it's outdated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you owned one? And this is XDA not slatedroid

I've had my TP for a while now and it still does everything I need it to do really but I've been getting the itch to upgrade here recently. More so after Amazon's trade in offer.
I've looked at a few of the Chinese tablets but none of them seem to have a dev community at all which puts a damper on my enthusiasm. Unless manufacturer updates for these tabs is a bunch quicker than their US mainstream brethren, I don't think I could deal. I like updates too much.
Heck, with the recent price cuts to the B&N Nook HD and HD+ (1080p screen amazingly enough) I may just go that route instead of a high powered Chinese tab.