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Samsung will likely release a next gen tab in Barcelona. Will this mean minimal support for our tab?
I was a big defender of android for 2 years. But i have had it. Will switch over to iphone 5 and ipad 3. Our tab rom from Samsung is suboptimal to say the least. Still no ICS. App quality still sucks for business, science, musicians etc. Improvement too slow. I thought differently 6 months ago but now it seems we can not catch up to Apple ecosystem.
I am just trying to make a rational decision, no ideological arguments.
I know I know...go ahead, hit me...
cheers
chris
There's a couple of nice ICS roms over in the development forum, I'm using the latest Galaxian Soup alpha and it's awesome.
I agree.. I'm feeling frustrated from lag and the low support from my device. Yes Apple taking the full control for IOS.. But I realise that its for good.....
Sent from my GT-P7300 using XDA App
I am still not sold on the iOS
here at the WEF
I also need to admit that I am in a bad mood right now...which prompted me to start this thread.
I am here in Davos at the wef. looking around I see only ipads. the special wef app on my tab 8.9 fcs all the time, looks terribly designed and can not be used in landscape on the tablet!
on the ipad the same app looks great andworks in landscape. that just fuelled my anger....
MelFranks said:
There's a couple of nice ICS roms over in the development forum, I'm using the latest Galaxian Soup alpha and it's awesome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
None of the roms for the 8.9 seem to display hdmi out correctly or have other significant issues.
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SGSChris said:
I also need to admit that I am in a bad mood right now...which prompted me to start this thread.
I am here in Davos at the wef. looking around I see only ipads. the special wef app on my tab 8.9 fcs all the time, looks terribly designed and can not be used in landscape on the tablet!
on the ipad the same app looks great andworks in landscape. that just fuelled my anger....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well but that ain't really androids or samsungs fault. if someone designs a crappy app for android and a well working app for ios then of course it will look better on ios....
as for support. the older iphones aren't getting any updates and ipad1 is missing out on a lot of features that the ipad2 got via software. so it aint like android is all bad and ios is all good.
that being said, yeah samsung is being slow releasing stuff and touchwizz is bloated crap. they should try and please people releasing updates as fast as possible instead of bloating them and making them slower.
I've only owned my sgt 8.9 for a month and I think th nhardware is fantastic and going from iphone 3-4s and my wifes ipad 2 to this android and samsung show they can pull it off better than apple in most ways.... But.....
Time between releases isn't practical, the features of true clean android os (no samsung excess besides ebook) are fantastic but samsung kill it with touchwiz and excess compulsary samsung apps, and the market is great but also it's own worst enemy. (but we cant do anything about that because its un-regulated so to speak). Been muking around with custom roms and my hats off to the develooers as they're are really trying to polish up and bring us the best experience possible but they're relying on samsung to continue support but sadly they just are developing enough for our developers to improve on.
It's sad when a combination of 2 great products with both ability, style and funding can't bring it together and focus on fewer models or realeases to perfect something thats already almost there and really flex there muscles in the face of the competition.
Sent from my GT-P7300 using Xparent Blue Tapatalk
jpbutler said:
None of the roms for the 8.9 seem to display hdmi out correctly or have other significant issues.
Sent from my GT-P7310 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is true, I suppose it really depends upon what you are using the tablet for.
pseudoheld said:
well but that ain't really androids or samsungs fault. if someone designs a crappy app for android and a well working app for ios then of course it will look better on ios....
as for support. the older iphones aren't getting any updates and ipad1 is missing out on a lot of features that the ipad2 got via software. so it aint like android is all bad and ios is all good.
that being said, yeah samsung is being slow releasing stuff and touchwizz is bloated crap. they should try and please people releasing updates as fast as possible instead of bloating them and making them slower.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agree, but that is why we need to consider the whole ecosystem that generates design standards, a sense of esthetics and professionalism and coolness...
samsung seems to push new bricks with better technology at a frantic speed but this does not improve usability. they are bad at engaging users and are terrible on the softwareside. It also seems that the ios ecosystem has the more demanding users that care less about tech and custom roms but overall usability.
I have my tab now for 5 months, there has not been a release of any appropriate rom by samsung for a 600$ Tablet! not acceptable...and my sgs i9000 is also not supported anymore by samsung...
I have an 8.9 and I feel your pain as well. I want Android to work out but it seems the manufacturers are only interested in the initial sale of the item, after that support dwindles quickly. Compare this to Apple who understands that your building a relationship with your customer. I think it sucks that the Kindle Fire has better support then the Galaxy Tab and most honeycomb devices.
App support with Android is poor at best. When compatibility has to be reviewed for each device by the developer (Hello hulu, netflix, & Gameloft!), you have a poor ecosystem. A number of really good games avail on the iPad do not even have Android the radar.
Still, I hang in there, because I don't like Apples restrictive system. Hoping manufacturers & developers will get on board and fix things. If it doesn't change in the next year though, I'm out and going back to iPad, because at the end of the day I want to use my device not hack it.
I can understand the frustration fully. I have an LG Optimus S, and my wife just upgraded off her Samsung Moment. Sometimes, vendor support for the latest version of android is minimal at best. In contrast, Apple EOLs their hardware, and there is no coming back from that. Every hardware update/major version release sees the previous oldest supported platform unsupported. Additionally, even the previous version sees missing features on the software side (ref iphone 4 + siri) that hafe been proven to run on the older platform.
Atleast with android, you can rely on strong dev communities to build new versions of the software in a timely manner. All weekend I ran the ICS alpha/beta and it is very nice!
I like my tab mainly for the size and form, and for 360 dollars it was a deal. It doesn't work any better them my Acer A500, which is more use full in the long run. Anyways my first android was the Samsung Moment which was terrible, htc hero, evo, nexus s, Acer A100, Acer A500, nook color, I pad 2, and now this 8.9. So I have had a lot of experience and I can surely say this is my last android mobile device. I'm tired of being a lab rat for these half baked devices all has had major problems. I don't want to have to rely on developers to fix things. I have only kept the I pad for a month and couldn't live without Google's services, but now I'm over it. Until they get more control over these manufactures to provide updates in a timely manor and manufactures fix their hardware I don't see a reason to stay. I guess the flexibility of android comes at a price and we all get burned.
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This is a really interesting thread, because it portrays what I think would be a very different opinion versus if you asked the same question other in the dev board. And the different demographics involves paralleled a conversation I had the other day at work.
I am a complete Android head - half the appeal for me is tinkering with the thing. I see that as normal - no, actually I see that as a big part of the experience. I hate the iPad because it is so rigidly locked down in every respect. I had an iPad, but found it stifling and could get on with it even jailbroken.
I was shocked, however, when a girl at work gave a ten minute scathing diatribe on Android based on her experience with a low end Samsung phone. "But that was a low end Android phone!" I said. "It was bound to be slow and clunky. That's not a fair assessment of Android to base it on that experience. Plus, even if it was underpowered hardware, you probably could still have found a ROM for it out there that'd solve most of the problems you were having".
She didn't care. She just wanted the thing to work out of the box and her eyes glazed over when I started talking about ROMs.
It was a new perspective for me and I find myself recommending devices differently now. Time was I would have recommended the GT 8.9 unequivocally. The form factor plus hardware (in my opinion) beats anything else currently on the market. And I'd put my ICS equipped 8.9 up against any iPad in terms of user experience and I'd say it comes out on top. However, if you want a tablet that you get out of the box and use, it's not this one. The stock Samsung Android install is an abortion and unless you are happy to tweak (or have a family member who'll do it for you) it's not the device for you.
And therein lies the problem with 99% of Android devices on the market. Until vendors get over this need to differentiate their devices by adding layer after layer of bloat on top of Android, Android will continue to play second fiddle to iOS in terms of the user experience - even if that iOS user experience is rigidly controlled and prevents you from doing basic things like moving an icon a couple of spaces away from another.
I never had a problem with android until I lost my nexus one. Then I entered the world of other manufacturers devices. So far they all suck. HTC has the ****ty looking sense the I dare to define a great punch in the face to good design, Samsung is notoriously known for making good hardware but not giving a crap about the software, I'm not sure why this is, why they think that the software is not as important to the device. My next try will be with Asus, they seem to update their software on top of having decent hardware. This in regard of tablets for phones, i'll switch to a nexus device as soon as my HTC dies or the galaxy nexus comes to t-mobile.
I went through apple and i dont like the company. First of all i'm forced most of the time at work to use imacs to work on visual effects, i dont know where studio owners get their facts, but those machine sucks for production! They are designed for customers not professionals, they have the guts of a laptop and none of the benefits. Then i have a macbook that gave me nothing but hardware problems for 3 years, an iphone 4 that i can't use because its super locked to at&t and i used to have an ipod touch which died unexpectedly during a vacation. The only apple stuff i'm kinda happy about are my two ipods that still survive (and yet do not allow, me to officially get my music out of them).
So as you can see I'm fed up with apple and their shady hardware, they killed all the great professional stuff they had (shake, final cut pro, quicktime pro, apple servers and raids) and i don't think osx has any advantage over windows anymore either.
There are two faces to every coin, but I'm sure one day I will find a good tablet/phone/computer maker for my needs, it's just a trial and error job.
Good luck with Apple I hope you'll be more lucky than me!
Loccy said:
It was a new perspective for me and I find myself recommending devices differently now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nice post mate. i totally agree with you and half the fun for me with android is the messing about and tweaking stuff. the only android phones i would recomend without thinking twice are the nexus series (because they are bloat free) and the s2 because its just and awesome device. but yeah if you have something more "consumerish" and don't feel like messing around with it you aren't gonna have the nices experience.
for the technologically unprepaired person an iProduct is probably better because it just works as they think it should (even though its awefully restrained and restricted)
DBBGBA said:
I never had a problem with android until I lost my nexus one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'm still running my n1 and loving it
as for apple machines for production...i have a lot to do in the video sector and we use macpros with final cut (7 not x )
i must say they are awesome machines but also have a few downsides.
they are friggin expensive (as everything apple)
they are not the error free devices everyone thinks they are. only last month we had 2 graphics cards dying 1 hdd giving up and 2 OS corruptions. so the myth about apple products not breaking down is...a myth!
so yeah if you are prepared to tinker i would go with android all the way. if you are my mum or someone else that just wants to USE something and not get involved with it...then i guess the i is the way to go.
I showed my stock skyrocket when I first bought it, she didn't even wanted to look.
Then I installed my preferred launcher (Launcher 7) and custom roms, lots of small tricks and clean ups (hid all the extra apps like Ti Backup, Root Explorer, etc.) and let the Windows Phone 7 interface dominate with big Twitter and Facebook buttons, Big camera and email button, weather. She was sold. She played with it while I was watching tv for a good while.
If the iPhone 5 will feature yet another 3.5" display, I'll take your phone no problem, she said.
I think the Android Interface, esp. the launcher, the widget handling, etc. leaves a lot to be desired. WP7 less is more approach works for some.
RipplingHurst said:
WP7 less is more approach works for some.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree in fact I'm very curious to try one WP7 device for a while and maybe start suggesting that instead of iphones.
SGSChris said:
Samsung will likely release a next gen tab in Barcelona. Will this mean minimal support for our tab?
I was a big defender of android for 2 years. But i have had it. Will switch over to iphone 5 and ipad 3. Our tab rom from Samsung is suboptimal to say the least. Still no ICS. App quality still sucks for business, science, musicians etc. Improvement too slow. I thought differently 6 months ago but now it seems we can not catch up to Apple ecosystem.
I am just trying to make a rational decision, no ideological arguments.
I know I know...go ahead, hit me...
cheers
chris
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you need an application that you cannot live without then go with ipad. You might be prepared that new ipad3 will blow ipad2 away but this is a bout making more and more money.
I was with Apple before Android. Now I am proud not following the iCrowd.
After stripping all bloatware and services my Sammy serves me well.
In regards to ICS I tried it on Xoom and didn't see anything vitally important.
It seems that in one year every piece of hardware becomes largely irrelevant and in two obsolete.
its still fck alpha so whats the point here??
---------- Post added at 02:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:12 PM ----------
qhinton said:
I like my tab mainly for the size and form, and for 360 dollars it was a deal. It doesn't work any better them my Acer A500, which is more use full in the long run. Anyways my first android was the Samsung Moment which was terrible, htc hero, evo, nexus s, Acer A100, Acer A500, nook color, I pad 2, and now this 8.9. So I have had a lot of experience and I can surely say this is my last android mobile device. I'm tired of being a lab rat for these half baked devices all has had major problems. I don't want to have to rely on developers to fix things. I have only kept the I pad for a month and couldn't live without Google's services, but now I'm over it. Until they get more control over these manufactures to provide updates in a timely manor and manufactures fix their hardware I don't see a reason to stay. I guess the flexibility of android comes at a price and we all get burned.
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is soooo true... despite to the fact how much i hate apple as company...
---------- Post added at 02:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:17 PM ----------
Adapt0r said:
If you need an application that you cannot live without then go with ipad. You might be prepared that new ipad3 will blow ipad2 away but this is a bout making more and more money.
I was with Apple before Android. Now I am proud not following the iCrowd.
After stripping all bloatware and services my Sammy serves me well.
In regards to ICS I tried it on Xoom and didn't see anything vitally important.
It seems that in one year every piece of hardware becomes largely irrelevant and in two obsolete.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you like to use half finished products just not to follow the iCrowd than i am sorry for u... just that.
Hey Guys! so heres my situation: my high school wanted to go digital so added wifi to the entire school and made us all rent ipads from them (private school). I graduate next month and will have to give my ipad back. There is supposed to be an option to be able to buy it, but I have always been an android and open source person who liked to tinker so I am looking to get a new tablet. This tablet was on Amazon for $367 for a little while, but is back up to $400. My 18th birthday is next month and should get more than enough money to buy this tablet and accessories. I want to know if there are any major issues hardware, software, or something slowing down development since I most likely will root it. I am going to college next year and am considering the much cheaper older models with the keyboard dock since people keep complaining about issues with this versions keyboard dock. anyone want to clarify on that? I do have a wireless full sized keyboard that folds in half from my ipad will work, but the USB 3 and extra battery and potential to not need a case is tempting. The other thing is if I root and run the 4.4 rom builds (Am I correct it is only 4.3 that is officially supported, and boot loader unlocking tool is officially available from Asus?) will the official accesories still work without issue? I am considering buying this adapter and a micro HDMI to HDMI cable or this miracast dongle to access my movies on my 2TB seagate external hard drive (with its own power source) to watch movies instead of using an xbox 360 or my laptop around home and when I travel (which is at least once a month). I am also thinking of connecting a ps3 controlled with sixaxis app then to a TV for a more portable console for gaming. I have already done this with my LG Optimus G. Also how far along is development? I see hardly any roms. two CM11 rom and a few 4.3 roms but seems only one is heavily customized. I have experience with adding some tweaks, themes, debloating, and compiling (official) nightlies of CM for other devices and was wondering if there is enough for me to be satisfied with a hopefully not overly customized official 4.3 build and might be able to take my knowledge to help contribute to the community if I buy this. if anyone can answer a single question of this long post it would be awesome.
edit: I was thinking since I am just asking a laundry list of questions, can a mod please move this to Q&A? sorry about this
If you like the functionality of this tablet + dock it would be a grave mistake to buy the older versions of the Transformer series. I have owned the 700 for more than a year now and flashed most CM based roms as well as all CROMi based roms to it. The improvement compared to stock is amazing, but none of the best custom roms are as good as the TF701 on stock. The TF701 is gorgeous out of the box and that is also the reason you probably won't see the level of development the TF700 received.
Why?
Because there is way less user demand. This tablet is so good on stock, that only the serious flashoholics crave a custom rom.
The CM based KK roms all have minor issues with implementing the full functionality of the keyboard. It's only special function keys like wifi toggle, trackpad, auto brightness etc that don't work (and maybe never will) and at this point there seems to be an issue with the USB 3.0 functionality of the USB port, but if those are important to you, just flash CROMi-X 6.1 which is based on the official Asus firmware where everything works.
That is my preferred rom for this tablet. It's based on the latest 4.3 JB and it beats me why people HAVE TO HAVE the KitKat rom - I don't see much of an improvement in 4.4 compared to 4.3....
Can't help you with Miracast and the other game stuff - I don't use any of it.
The dock can be an issue. My second one works fine, but it's still something you have to pay attention to and possibly exchange/replace if the known issues show up. I have read about one user now receiving a 2014 keyborad without issues. So there is the chance that they finally fixed the disaster the dock has been in 2013. But I would be watching this...
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If you like to tinker I think you'll like this device. As Bernd says it is very good out of the box and my CROMi-X build is what I run as a daily. I'm more than satisfied and my keyboard works fine. I love it.
You could join the CROMBi-kk team if you want to learn more about building a solid rom. I'm on holiday at the moment (typing this in a coffee shop in Japan) but when I get back there will be more improvements made to kitkat as well as the kernels we are using
berndblb said:
If you like the functionality of this tablet + dock it would be a grave mistake to buy the older versions of the Transformer series. I have owned the 700 for more than a year now and flashed most CM based roms as well as all CROMi based roms to it. The improvement compared to stock is amazing, but none of the best custom roms are as good as the TF701 on stock. The TF701 is gorgeous out of the box and that is also the reason you probably won't see the level of development the TF700 received.
Why?
Because there is way less user demand. This tablet is so good on stock, that only the serious flashoholics crave a custom rom.
The CM based KK roms all have minor issues with implementing the full functionality of the keyboard. It's only special function keys like wifi toggle, trackpad, auto brightness etc that don't work (and maybe never will) and at this point there seems to be an issue with the USB 3.0 functionality of the USB port, but if those are important to you, just flash CROMi-X 6.1 which is based on the official Asus firmware where everything works.
That is my preferred rom for this tablet. It's based on the latest 4.3 JB and it beats me why people HAVE TO HAVE the KitKat rom - I don't see much of an improvement in 4.4 compared to 4.3....
Can't help you with Miracast and the other game stuff - I don't use any of it.
The dock can be an issue. My second one works fine, but it's still something you have to pay attention to and possibly exchange/replace if the known issues show up. I have read about one user now receiving a 2014 keyborad without issues. So there is the chance that they finally fixed the disaster the dock has been in 2013. But I would be watching this...
Sent from my K00C using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay. So if I get enough money for my bday then I'll get this. Considering the dock price, issues, and I need some stuff for my raspberry pi, I'll get the tablet now and get the dock later. But other than that this tablet has everything I need, and appears to be the best hardware out there and has an even better price comparatively. I'll be watching for the docks too.
sbdags said:
If you like to tinker I think you'll like this device. As Bernd says it is very good out of the box and my CROMi-X build is what I run as a daily. I'm more than satisfied and my keyboard works fine. I love it.
You could join the CROMBi-kk team if you want to learn more about building a solid rom. I'm on holiday at the moment (typing this in a coffee shop in Japan) but when I get back there will be more improvements made to kitkat as well as the kernels we are using
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay. So I can have stability and features when I want it, and have a lot of tinkering when to also. That's exactly what I need. Nandroid and tinker on weekends, stable when I have classes. And if I get it I'll definitely join. Maybe I can join now though and start learning more. And until I get the tablet (maybe next week) I can use what I learn on my og Evo 4g, LG Optimus G, and nook tablet. I'll message you later most likely, but the main things I believe I need to move forward are the updates script and such and how to fix syntax errors so I don't need dsixdas kitchen to recompile everytime I make make a change even if it's just updated gapps, new ringtone, etc. the other thing I really want to figure out is how to setup aroma installer which I believe ties into the other thing. Them learn java with the coursera class I put my name down for and I could start to do a lot. Thanks for the help guys! This pretty much answers everything I need except for one thing. The ps3 controller I'm sure will work, but with the miracast dongle I'm not sure if I would be able to use midi direct straight to the dongle, and connect to local wifi in case I want to stream or play online games like clash of clans or war of nations (seriously check out the second one, it's new to android but amazing on ios). If that works and doesn't have miracast/DLNA bugs like some devices then I'll have everything I need or want. If not I can get a 15 ft micro hdmi to hdmi cable for like $10 on amazon (I have prime)
I like this tablet. I think its great for what you get. Higher resolution, pushes the limits etc. Just dont drop it. Doesnt look pretty if you plan on rooting which is a must if you want to actually use it. Get some depth of knowledge. Seems people cant repair it in some places without paying a lot of money especially after the warranty is voided. They need to offer better service in that area. I guess if you want to void your warranty and root it. Dont buy an extended one. That would not make sense. Correct me if Im wrong. Aside from shipping costs ASUS should be giving lifetime warranties only because they cut and past peoples software which is fine. Just give us what we're owed. :cyclops: LOL i dont know.
YayYouFixedIt said:
I like this tablet. I think its great for what you get. Higher resolution, pushes the limits etc. Just dont drop it. Doesnt look pretty if you plan on rooting which is a must if you want to actually use it. Get some depth of knowledge. Seems people cant repair it in some places without paying a lot of money especially after the warranty is voided. They need to offer better service in that area. I guess if you want to void your warranty and root it. Dont buy an extended one. That would not make sense. Correct me if Im wrong. Aside from shipping costs ASUS should be giving lifetime warranties only because they cut and past peoples software which is fine. Just give us what we're owed. :cyclops: LOL i dont know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean doesn't look pretty if I root it? Rooting doesn't affect how it looks. Unless you mean if you damage it and can't get it fixed because of warranty? And my trick is if it's damaged enough I need it fixed I plug it into my laptop and hard brick it's I'm on my 5th Optimus G already and only paid $150 once. Only once was a shattering screen,
evodev said:
What do you mean doesn't look pretty if I root it? Rooting doesn't affect how it looks. Unless you mean if you damage it and can't get it fixed because of warranty? And my trick is if it's damaged enough I need it fixed I plug it into my laptop and hard brick it's I'm on my 5th Optimus G already and only paid $150 once. Only once was a shattering screen,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think what I mean is I have a desktop PC or a laptop. I can have root. I do not need to void my warranty. Why would they need to void the warranty for root access?
YayYouFixedIt said:
I think what I mean is I have a desktop PC or a laptop. I can have root. I do not need to void my warranty. Why would they need to void the warranty for root access?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because you have to unlock the bootloader to get root on the TF701.
@evodev I think you would make a great addition to the team. Get the tablet!
One condition though: Start to use paragraphs [emoji12] [emoji56] [emoji23]
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berndblb said:
Because you have to unlock the bootloader to get root on the TF701.
@evodev I think you would make a great addition to the team. Get the tablet!
One condition though: Start to use paragraphs [emoji12] [emoji56] [emoji23]
Sent from my K00C using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I literally wrote every reply right before the bell for my next class rang so I had to be quicked. Interestingly enough clash of clans and some tech sites and all are blocked, but xda I can access without having to use my phone for a hotspot connected to my 22,000 mAh battery. And I'll know be the end of next week if I'm getting it or not, I'm going to see if there might be a price drop in the near future to save some money though.
evodev said:
What do you mean doesn't look pretty if I root it? Rooting doesn't affect how it looks. Unless you mean if you damage it and can't get it fixed because of warranty? And my trick is if it's damaged enough I need it fixed I plug it into my laptop and hard brick it's I'm on my 5th Optimus G already and only paid $150 once. Only once was a shattering screen,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're saying what I think you're saying, that won't work with the TF701T as when you unlock it (which is needed for rooting), it "phones home" to the Asus server to tell them that you've done it, which instantly voids your warranty. It doesn't matter how much your hard brick it after that - they just look at the serial/IMEI number and compare it to their list of unlocked devices, and won't touch it.
pelago said:
If you're saying what I think you're saying, that won't work with the TF701T as when you unlock it (which is needed for rooting), it "phones home" to the Asus server to tell them that you've done it, which instantly voids your warranty. It doesn't matter how much your hard brick it after that - they just look at the serial/IMEI number and compare it to their list of unlocked devices, and won't touch it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dang it. I need to do more research. Someone needs to make a modified version of the program that blocks that. Or if it doesn't require downloading the files during the process and can be unlocked offline, just create a firewall blocking all the addresses or disable wifi. Problem solved. Lol. I might look into it more when I get the tablet.
evodev said:
Dang it. I need to do more research. Someone needs to make a modified version of the program that blocks that. Or if it doesn't require downloading the files during the process and can be unlocked offline, just create a firewall blocking all the addresses or disable wifi. Problem solved. Lol. I might look into it more when I get the tablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't believe its possible. Unlocking requires a unique per-device key, and there's no way to get that other than from Asus, so it cannot be done offline and without Asus knowing, at least not unless there's a flaw in their encryption etc.
pelago said:
I don't believe its possible. Unlocking requires a unique per-device key, and there's no way to get that other than from Asus, so it cannot be done offline and without Asus knowing, at least not unless there's a flaw in their encryption etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So firewall definitely won't work. And anything to get it working I don't think anyone will bother doing. Not worth the time. Just have to be as careful as I usually am for now. Might not even root it off the bat and see how stock suites me until I want to add a ps3 controller to it.
evodev said:
So firewall definitely won't work. And anything to get it working I don't think anyone will bother doing. Not worth the time. Just have to be as careful as I usually am for now. Might not even root it off the bat and see how stock suites me until I want to add a ps3 controller to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No way around it I'm afraid. You can only unlock using the Asus unlock tool due to the encrypted keys they use.
However I'm pretty sure a ps3 controller works without root.
Just to give you guys an update I'll have the tablet tomorrow and the case on Saturday.
Hi everyone, first time poster, though I have used the forums for a while. Apologies if this isn't the place for this question, but I couldn't find a better spot. I rooted my first-generation Fire (remember those?) a while ago and installed CM10 to get a more up-to-date version of Android than what came with the Fire, but the hardware is a little too old to run it well (just starting the Kindle book app can take close to a minute). I want to get the newest Fire 7 and put CM on it, and I was wondering how it compares with other "budget" tablets currently available, such as the Nexus 7, Zenpad S 8.0, or Galaxy Tab. Does it run comparably well, or is it really "bogged down"?
I didn't have much time with it hands-on, but I rooted and installed custom ROMs on a couple of them and they worked fairly well, no annoying stutters or lag. I gave one to my brother and he says it's working really well, himself having previously owned a 1st-gen Fire. If you still would like to squeeze something out of that one, I'd recommend going with Hashcode's AOSP 4.3 ROM, it always seemed much smoother to me than CM ROMs for that device.
Edit: Here's a link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2377629
hullflyer said:
Hi everyone, first time poster, though I have used the forums for a while. Apologies if this isn't the place for this question, but I couldn't find a better spot. I rooted my first-generation Fire (remember those?) a while ago and installed CM10 to get a more up-to-date version of Android than what came with the Fire, but the hardware is a little too old to run it well (just starting the Kindle book app can take close to a minute). I want to get the newest Fire 7 and put CM on it, and I was wondering how it compares with other "budget" tablets currently available, such as the Nexus 7, Zenpad S 8.0, or Galaxy Tab. Does it run comparably well, or is it really "bogged down"?
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Click to collapse
It does the job, it's been quite fun to mess around with if they were the same price I'd go with the Nexus 7 despite the lack of sd but given it was less than a third of the price I could get an N7 for it's a bargain.
Galaxy tabs do feel bogged down to me, feel sluggish whenever I use my parents but suspect screen is noticeably better on those and the zenpad which I've never seen anywhere.
Thanks so much for the advice, both of you. I got a new Fire, put CM 12.1 on it (thanks to these forums, I knew to check the version before letting it on the wifi, and was able to prevent it from updating to 5.1.1) , and it is running great. I think I already tried Hashcode's AOSP 4.3, Duchman, and wasn't able to use it well (same issue - incredible slowness), but I might take another crack at it now that I have the new Fire.
Looking for input/opinions- thanks in advance!
I bought a Fire during one of the Christmastime sales a few years ago and never did anything with it. The box is still in shipping plastic.
I'd like to have an Android tablet for surfing and a few simple games (think sudoku, solitaire, word games).
I watch a lot of youtube videos, so being able to do that is a must.
Also, getting onto my google play account would be nice, hence the Android request.
Seems that Amazon has fallen out with Google of late and taken out much of the cross-connections from the Amazon interface. Is that right?
Not afraid of rooting things- been doing it since OG Droid days.
I'm not really sold on becoming a netizen of the Amazon fabric. I don't have any sort of Prime membership or use any of their services, outside of buying stuff.
I appreciate any and all responses!
phonetool said:
Looking for input/opinions- thanks in advance!
I bought a Fire during one of the Christmastime sales a few years ago and never did anything with it. The box is still in shipping plastic.
I'd like to have an Android tablet for surfing and a few simple games (think sudoku, solitaire, word games).
I watch a lot of youtube videos, so being able to do that is a must.
Also, getting onto my google play account would be nice, hence the Android request.
Seems that Amazon has fallen out with Google of late and taken out much of the cross-connections from the Amazon interface. Is that right?
Not afraid of rooting things- been doing it since OG Droid days.
I'm not really sold on becoming a netizen of the Amazon fabric. I don't have any sort of Prime membership or use any of their services, outside of buying stuff.
I appreciate any and all responses!
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Click to collapse
Given your description there is a good chance the device has the original 5.x bootloader which means a custom lollipop based ROM (Fire Nexus or Lineage 12.1) can be easily installed and maintained. Both are stable and feature complete. There is no reason to boot FireOS...ever. Doing so may yield an unrootable device that can not be rooted or accommodate a custom ROM. Once FireOS has been banished the device has no affiliation with Amazon other than the name on the back.
Keep in mind the device is strictly entry level: 1 GB RAM, 8 GB User Storage (5 GB usable), 600x1024 low-res panel, etc. Almost any modern phone (and most burner varients) will run circles around a 5th gen Fire.
I'm happy to provide an outline of the steps required which are not lengthy/hard if you remain somewhat skilled in tethered operations and have familiarity with terms such as ADB, Fastboot, GApps, SuperSU and TWRP. You'll also need a suitable Windows host, be comfortable working with file systems and the Windows command prompt. That said, I prefer not to invest the time if the device will remain drawered or sold given its limited capabilities. A simple ask before responding.
Davey126 said:
Given your description there is a good chance the device has the original 5.x bootloader which means a custom lollipop based ROM (Fire Nexus or Lineage 12.1) can be easily installed and maintained. Both are stable and feature complete. There is no reason to boot FireOS...ever. Doing so may yield an unrootable device that can not be rooted or accommodate a custom ROM. Once FireOS has been banished the device has no affiliation with Amazon other than the name on the back.
Keep in mind the device is strictly entry level: 1 GB RAM, 8 GB User Storage (5 GB usable), 600x1024 low-res panel, etc. Almost any modern phone (and most burner varients) will run circles around a 5th gen Fire.
I'm happy to provide an outline of the steps required which are not lengthy/hard if you remain somewhat skilled in tethered operations and have familiarity with terms such as ADB, Fastboot, GApps, SuperSU and TWRP. You'll also need a suitable Windows host, be comfortable working with file systems and the Windows command prompt. That said, I prefer not to invest the time if the device will remain drawered or sold given its limited capabilities. A simple ask before responding.
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Click to collapse
Thanks very much for the info and offer!
I would like to try to put one of those two on the device.
I'm away from home this week, so cannot attempt anything just yet.
My Windows machine is a Samsung UMPC running Win7, otherwise I have a Raspberry Pi that does daily work. It does have ADB, but I haven't used it successfully (couldn't figure out the proper command structure on linux).
I'll do some reading this week on what's needed for the effort.
Thanks again!
Hi- I have a 9 year old daughter who is learning to play piano. We were recommended to give her a specific Android app by her teacher to use. The problem is, I'm having a hard time finding an appropriate device for her. I already have several phones in the house, some old kitkat era cheap-as-heck tablets from forever ago, 3 Kindle Fires, 2 Microsoft Surfaces and some laptops. It runs perfectly fine on my old phone, but the screen is too small for her to read along and practice. I can run bluestacks on a laptop and get it working on a nice big display, but its too cumbersome and not practical for her, not to mention some complications with Google's account services in paying for courses on the app. It seems to recognize that it isn't a real Android environment in the emulator. The Kindle Fires are the perfect form factor and can sort of sideload the APK, but it's the same problem as the emulator, the app relies heavily on Google's account services framework to work, and while I was able to launch the app, I can't make it connect to an account to purchase courses properly (keeps throwing errors). The old kit-kat era tablets are having trouble even loading up the app, so I think it just needs a more modern OS.
So I'm sitting here thinking, gosh, I should just buy another tablet. Which feels dumb for a specific-use like this. I'm having trouble justifying the cost of another portable computing device. My brother offered his old Touchpad, saying it is honestly collecting dust right now and runs some versions of Android. So I headed over here to see how development is going.
I see there's some Pie flavors available now (nice!), but I'm also seeing that they are somewhat works-in-progress and may not be reliable, fast, or have full support for audio (something I definitely need - the app requires mic and sound control). Kit kat seems like it was reliable on the Touchpad, but I definitely don't want to go back that far and find out it still won't work like my other tablets.
How's Oreo on this device? Is it well supported? Does it run smoothly with all hardware working?
Am I barking up the wrong tree?
Looking forward to your opinions, thanks so much!